What to Expect: Polyposis Center

Before your visit to the Polyposis Center

To make the most of your visit with the team, we will partner with you to gather all of your child’s medical records before the visit. This will include information about your child's endoscopy and tissue (histology) records. It can often be helpful to collect additional medical records from parents and other close relatives ahead of the clinic appointment such as history of diagnosis of polyps and/or cancer.

These records can help us determine what kind of polyps or which syndrome we will be treating. Our genetic counselor develops a picture of the family tree during the visit and this helps us determine the pattern of the hereditary condition, if present.

During your visit

During your visit with the team, we will review and discuss your child’s symptoms (if present) as well as records from prior endoscopy, surgery, etc. for your child. We will also look at any available records from close relatives.

The genetic counselor will go over the family history and what we as a team suspect may be going on. Together with your family, the team will make recommendations regarding genetic testing and any further investigations as needed.

A typical clinic visit lasts about 60 minutes.

We offer Telehealth Visits and in person clinic appointments.  For a Telehealth appointment, you must be in the state of Kansas or Missouri.  

Why Choose Telehealth Appointments?

Telehealth Appointments allow all four providers in one meeting.  This can be very Beneficial for your child’s care.  It allows all the experts in one room at the same time, talking with each other and with you to make the best plan.  Everyone can share their insights and understand the whole picture at once, rather than each provider seeing just a part of it.  It also helps the providers in making decisions that consider all aspects of your child’s health.  Telehealth appointments save time because you won’t have to repeat the same information in multiple sessions, and we can coordinate our efforts more efficiently.  Telehealth appointments help in providing a more consistent and comprehensive approach to your child’s care.  

In person clinic appointments are offered 1 time per month.  

After your visit

After your visit, the team will usually recommend further tests to be scheduled for a later date. Children’s Mercy offers the broadest spectrum of therapeutic and diagnostic endoscopic procedures in children with hereditary polyposis syndromes.

If your child needs more than one procedure, we can usually combine them on the same day. This allows us to better understand your child’s condition and remove any polyps that are present.

A follow up appointment will be scheduled to develop a treatment plan after your child’s scope results are back.  This can be completed via Telehealth or in Clinic.  

Creating comprehensive plans for children with a genetic syndrome

In cases where we identify a genetic syndrome, we will develop a clear and comprehensive plan and share it with your family and the referring pediatrician. The plan will focus on limiting the risks of cancer both in the intestine and other parts of the body. This likely involves follow-up with our polyposis team, or, as your child grows older, working with other subspecialists in this field to transition to adult care.

We can also provide or facilitate genetic testing and screening for siblings, parents and other family members who may benefit from monitoring for polyps, in conjunction with their respective health care providers.

Testing 

• Colonoscopy

• Polypectomy

• Esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (EGD)

• Capsule Endoscopy