A CASE OF TEN GASTRIC POLYPS INVESTIGATED ENDOSCOPICALLY AT EACH GROWING PROCESS FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS

Abstract

We have experienced a very rare case where we could observe the growing processes of 10 gastric polyps endoscopically. A gastic polyp, on a mass survey of 10 years ago, was found in a 49-year-old female patient. Four years later, as the polyp grew into Yamada's type IV from type III and the head grew larger, we polypectomized the polyp. During the follow-up study for over 5 years after the first polypectomy, we could observe the growing processes of the 9 gastric polyps endoscopically. Almost all the polyps pursued the growing processes from so called polypous bud to Yamada's type I, II, III and IV polyp successively. Four of 9 polyps were polypectomized later. The mean growing time of 4 polyps in which we could observe the growing process from polypous buds to Yamada's type IV polyps was 2 years and 7 months. Furthermore, there remained in this stomach more than 10 small, flat and red spots that we thought were the predecessor of polypous bud. As to which of these many spots will increase in growth and with what momentum and how long it will take to grow into polypous buds are still unkown.