Double-balloon endoscopy facilitates efficient endoscopic resection of duodenal and jejunal polyps in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis.

BACKGROUND

Many patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) have adenomatous polyps of the duodenum and the jejunum. We aimed to elucidate the long-term outcomes after double-balloon endoscopy (DBE)-assisted endoscopic resection of duodenal and jejunal polyps in patients with FAP.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent more than two sessions of endoscopic resection using DBE from August 2004 to July 2018.

RESULTS

A total of 72 DBEs were performed in eight patients (median age 30 years, range 12-53; 1.4 DBE procedures/patient-year) during the study period, and 1237 polyps were resected. The median observation period was 77.5 months (range 8-167). There were 11 adverse events, including seven delayed bleeds and four episodes of acute pancreatitis. No delayed bleeding occurred after cold polypectomy. Although, in one patient, one endoscopically resected duodenal polyp was diagnosed as being intramucosal carcinoma, none of the patients developed an advanced duodenal or jejunal cancer during the study period.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic resection of duodenal and jejunal polyposis using DBE in patients with FAP can be performed safely, efficiently, and effectively.