Endoscopic Snare Excision of Benign Adenomas of the Papilla of Vater

Over a 5-year period (1985 to 1990), 25 patients (11 men and 14 women, median age 68) with adenomatous tumors of the papilla of Vater judged to be benign by endoscopic appearance and forceps biopsy were included in this study. All patients had de novo tumors except for two patients who had recurrent adenomas after local surgical excision. Presenting symptoms included pain (19 patients), jaundice (9 patients), and pancreatitis (4 patients). ERCP showed bile and pancreatic duct dilation in 20 patients (6 with stones) and 2 patients, respectively. The adenoma and the papilla of Vater were excised using a standard polypectomy snare (snare papillectomy). Procedure-related complications included bleeding in two patients and acute pancreatitis in three patients. No deaths occurred. Histologic analysis showed benign adenoma with mild to moderate dysplasia in 18 patients and severe dysplasia in 1 patient. Two patients with evidence for intraductal tumor extension on ERCP were referred for surgery. Six patients had recurrences at a median follow-up of 37 months (range, 7 to 79 months), of whom one had intraductal tumor spread and underwent pancreatoduodenectomy. Five patients were re-treated endoscopically; one ultimately required surgery.