Combined endoscopic and surgical treatment for the polyposis of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome

Repeated laparotomy with extensive small bowel resectioning and eventual short-bowel syndrome is a major problem in Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) patients. This problem is caused by gastrointestinal polyposis with intussusception. A combined surgical and endoscopic approach can assess the extent of the polyposis, and small polyps can be removed by snare polypectomy. This can avert multiple enterotomies and decrease bowel resection segments. We applied an intraoperative colonscope via the enterotomy route in an 20-year-old PJS woman, and successfully removed the other 10 polyps distributed in the whole small bowel. As part of an aggressive approach to the management of polyposis in PJS, complete polypectomy can provide a longer symptom-free interval and remove potentially premaligment polyps. Received: 9 September 1999/Accepted: 9 November 1999/Online publication: 22 August 2000