Lymphoid Polyps of the Ileum Associated With Gardner's Syndrome

Abstract

INITIALLY described by Devic and Bussy in 1912,¹ the association of osteomas or exostosis, soft-tissue tumors, and multiple polyposis of the colon was established as a predictable inherited syndrome by Gardner and his associates (1950-1953).^2-4 Subsequent reports and reviews, such as the analysis of 84 cases collected by Jones and Cornell in 1966,⁵ have further defined the major features and natural history of this syndrome. It has been estimated that 50% of untreated patients who have multiple polyposis of the large intestine will develop adenocarcinoma of that organ by age 30.⁶ In addition to polyps of the colon and rectum, a small number of patients with Gardner's syndrome have adenomatous polyps of the small intestine.⁷ The premalignant nature of these lesions and, therefore, the need for their removal is suggested by the finding of adenocarcinoma of the small intestine in an occasional patient with Gardner's