Surgical management of familial polyposis and Gardner's syndrome.

Twenty-six patients with documented familial polyposis or Gardner's syndrome were followed up to twenty-eight years after total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis. All patients were followed a minimum of five years. Patients were subjected to periodic proctosigmoidoscopies, and rectal polyps were electrocoagulated when found. In no patient in this series did an adenocarcinoma of the rectum develop during the follow-up period. Total abdominal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis is the treatment of choice in patients with familial polyposis and Gardner's syndrome, provided adequate follow-up is assured and polyps are destroyed when encountered.