Clinical, Endoscopic, and Pathologic Spectrum of Pediatric Polyps: A Single-Center Study in the Current Polypectomy...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Gastrointestinal Pathology
• Clinical Genetics

Background:

• Pediatric gastrointestinal polyps are diverse, ranging from benign to syndromic forms with malignant potential.
• Contemporary data on upper GI and small-bowel polyps in children are limited.
• This study highlights an unusually high prevalence of polyposis syndromes in a pediatric cohort.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide contemporary data on pediatric gastrointestinal polyps, including upper GI and small-bowel.
• To determine the prevalence of polyposis syndromes in children diagnosed with gastrointestinal polyps.
• To identify clinical and histopathological factors associated with polyposis syndromes in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective single-center study of children (0-18 years) with gastrointestinal polyps.
• Data collected: demographics, symptoms, endoscopic features, histopathology, management, and polyposis syndrome status.
• Statistical analysis using IBM SPSS Statistics, with p < 0.05 significance.

Main Results:

• Seventy-six pediatric patients evaluated; gastrointestinal bleeding was the most common symptom.
• Juvenile and inflammatory polyps were the most frequent histologic subtypes.
• Polyposis syndromes identified in 27.6% of patients, associated with multiple, proximal, or mixed-morphology polyps.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric gastrointestinal polyps are not uniformly benign, with a significant prevalence of associated polyposis syndromes.
• Comprehensive endoscopic evaluation, routine histopathology, and genetic referral are recommended.
• Early identification of syndromic forms is critical for appropriate management.