[Endoscopic polypectomy of the upper gastro-intestinal tract: results and clinical features (author's transl)].

247 polyps were removed by electroresection through an endoscope (and 240 recovered) in 160 patients, aged 24-81 years. The histological substrate varied widely. Comparison of histological findings in the biopsy specimen with those of the entire polyp after polypectomy gave differing results in 41 of 87 gastric polyps. Complication rate of endoscopic polypectomy was 1.6%: postoperative bleeding occurred in three, which was treated conservatively, while in one patient ligation of a blood vessel by laparotomy became necessary. There were no perforation or lethal complications. Among three patients with hyperplasiogenic gastric polyps a "borderline lesion" was found in two (early carcinoma type I; adenocarcinoma). In 13 other patients with hyperplasiogenic polyps follow-up examination after one year revealed recurrence in three, absence of polyps in eight. In one patient a small gastric carcinoma (about 1 cm in diameter) was discovered four months later. It is possible that patients with hyperplasiogenic polyps are at a higher risk of cancer. Six-monthly endoscopic observation is, therefore, indicated.