Ascariasis Observed by Wireless-Capsule Endoscopy

Figure 1 Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is an inherited gastrointestinal hamartomatous polyposis associated with mucocutaneous pigmentation. The most frequent location for PJS polyps is in the small bowel, and it is associated with a risk of intestinal cancer which is much greater than that in the general population. At our institution we are evaluating the use of wireless-capsule endoscopy in the diagnosis of small-bowel polyps. This pedunculated polyp is an example of the many small polyps in the small intestine of an asymptomatic middle-aged woman with PJS.

Figure 2 a - c In the analysis of the patient’s capsule video, we observed four large roundworms in the jejunum, with the appearance of Ascaris lumbricoides. The patient was treated with pyrantel pamoate.