Surgical Management of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

Familial adenomatous polyposis is an autosomal-dominant disease caused by a germline mutation of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene. It is characterized by the progressive development of hundreds to thousands of polyps in the colorectum. There are also associated extracolonic manifestations. The average age of colorectal carcinoma in these patients is 39 years. Surgery is the only effective treatment available to prevent the development of colorectal carcinoma. In the era of ileoanal pouch surgery, there are several surgical options available to patients. We review the current literature's support for the various surgical options available at this time and the respective postoperative follow-up.