Endoscopic Ischemic Polypectomy for Polyposis Disorders

S Kurasawa et al. JPGN Reports. 2026; DOI: 10.1002/jpr3.70188. Open Access! Endoscopic ischemic polypectomy for small intestinal polyps in a 7-year-old girl with juvenile polyposis syndrome

Background: “Funayama et al.4 described the technique of endoscopic ischemic polypectomy (EIP) in detail in both pediatric and adult patients with Peutz–Jeghers syndrome (PJS). Subsequently, EIP was reported to be a safe and effective treatment for 269 small intestinal polyps in 22 pediatric PJS cases.5” Here the authors describe the use of this technique for a child with juvenile polyposis syndrome (JPS).

Key findings:

  • During a two-hour double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) for a 7 yo child, “17 pedunculated polyps, all with a visually assessed size range of 7–15 mm, EIP was performed using the “crossed-clip strangulation method,” in which the first hemostatic clip was deployed with the aid of a distal attachment and rotated 90°, followed by placement of a second clip crossing the first at a 90° angle (Figure 1)…Subsequently, anemia and hypoalbuminemia did not recur, and growth was satisfied.”

(A) Pedunculated polyp in the small intestine. (B) The first hemostatic clip was placed on the stalk of the polyp. (C) A second hemostatic clip was placed on the stalk of the polyp at a 90-degree angle to the first clip.

Discussion Points:

  • “EIP does not involve electrocautery, eliminating the risk of thermal injury and offering a safer alternative for small bowel lesions.”
  • “A limitation of EIP is the inability to retrieve resected polyps…It should only be used for lesions that appear clearly benign.”
  • There is a risk of detached polyps migrating into the lower gastrointestinal tract and inducing intussusception. This can be mitigated by managing distal small intestinal polyps first.

My take: EIP appears to be useful for inidividuals with numerous small intestinal polyps.

Related blog posts:

ACG World Congress -Useful Tweets

I wanted to share several tweets from this year’s ACG World Congress that looked helpful.

Topic: SBBO and IBS-D

A positive breath test is the ONLY variable that can predict response to Rifaximin in IBS-D: ACG and Mark Pimenthal. tweet from @AllRezale, MD

Topic: Polyps -slides recommend cold forceps for polyps 1-3 mm and cold snare for 4-5  mm polyps.

Topic: Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Syndromes

Topic: Aggressive fluids for pancreatitis

Rising BUN is Associated with mortality with pancreatitis. Tauseef, Ali @ibdtweets: “Pancreatitis pearls: aggressive fluid hydration 250-500 cc lactated ringer’s (my personal favorite also) and ensure BUN dropping #WCOGatACG2017”

Update for Peutz-Jegher Syndrome

A recent case series provides some useful insight into this rare condition (JPGN 2013; 56: 191-95).  Peutz-Jegher syndrome (JPS) has an incidence between 1 in 8500 to 1 in 120,000.  It is caused by a germline mutation in the STK11 gene.  It is associated with a serine threonine kinase that functions as a tumor suppressor.

14 children were identified through a medical records review at the Children’s Hospital Colorado between 2000-2011.  Inclusion required 2 or more of the following criteria:

  • 2 or more characteristic hamartomatous polyps of the small intestine
  • typical mucocutaneous pigmentation
  • positive family history (absent in about 25% of cases historically)

Results: Median age at first clinical evaluation was 4.5 years.  Intussusception was noted 7 times in 5 children (ages 5 to 16 years). Surgical reduction was required in 5 of the events. Polyps were found in the stomach/duodenum in 5 (36%), small bowel in 7 (50%), and colon in 3 (21%). Sertoli cell tumors was identified in 2 of the 10 boys at ages 8 years and 11 years.

Based on their experience, the authors suggest the following:

  • Initial screening start at age 4-5 years of age.  They recommend capsule endoscopy, upper endoscopy, and colonoscopy (CE/EGD/colon) as initial screen.  Then, they suggest repeating every 1-2 years until no polyps and then every 2-3 years.
  • In boys, they recommend breast exams for gynecomastia and testicular exams annually to screen for Sertoli cell tumor.  In girls, monitoring for precocious puberty and if present, then further evaluation for Sertoli cell tumor.

Given the small size of their cohort and the likelihood that asymptomatic children may not have been seen, it is too early to know if the approach recommended by the authors is justified.  Will earlier screening result in any long-term benefit &/or reduce complications related to JPS?