[Inflammatory fibroid polyp as the cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding.]

The inflammatory fibroid polyp or Vanek's tumor is a benign polypoid lesion that can be found in any section of the digestive tract. It is most frequently located in the stomach and when found in this organ, the symptoms include upper gastrointestinal bleeding (often silent), anemia and melena. The case described below, on the contrary, presents a gastric inflammatory fibroid polyp which developed acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding and required surgical treatment.

Inflammatory Fibroid Polyp of the Ileocecal Valve: Case Report, Review, and Recent Advances

We report a case of a 72-year-old woman who underwent a right hemicolectomy for a near-obstructing mass in the ileocecal valve. The histologic diagnosis was inflammatory fibroid polyp (IFP). IFPs are rare mesenchymal lesions that can arise throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Originally considered reactive or inflammatory, recent studies report activating mutations of platelet derived growth factor receptor-alpha (PDGFRA) in IFPs, suggesting that these may in fact be neoplastic. Nonetheless, these are benign lesions cured by local excision and typically do not recur or metastasize. Our patient also had no evidence of local recurrence one year after the surgery. Hence, the clinical importance lies in distinguishing these lesions from other benign and malignant mesenchymal proliferative lesions both on a biopsy and resection specimen. We review the literature on clinicopathologic features, immunohistochemical profile, pathogenesis, recent advances, differential diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of these uncommon lesions.

Berardinelli-Seip congenital lipodystrophy: an autosomal recessive disorder with rare association of duodenocolonic polyps

Berardinelli-Seip congenital lipodystrophy (BSCL) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a nearly complete absence of adipose tissue and generalized muscular appearance. This condition is associated with various dermatological and systemic manifestations. We report a 5-year-old boy, with clinical and metabolic presentation resembling BSCL and unusual features, such as diabetes detected at an early age and multiple duodenal and colonic polyps.

Solitary Peutz-Jeghers-type appendiceal hamartomatous polyp growing into the terminal ileum

Solitary Peutz-Jeghers type hamartomatous polyp is rare. It is considered to be related to a variant Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) and may be a separate disease entity. A 50-year-old man was referred to our hospital with a diagnosis of intussusception in the terminal ileum and underwent segmental ileal resection with appendectomy. We identified a 3.5-cm diameter polyp arising from the appendix with ingrowth into the terminal ileum. The polyp was confirmed to be a hamartomatous polyp of Peutz-Jeghers-type, histologically. However, the patient had no characteristic manifestations of PJS such as mucocutaneous pigmentation and family history. There are few reports of appendiceal hamartomatous polyp in PJS patients and solitary appendiceal hamartomatous polyp is even rarer. Also, rather than telescoping, ours is the first reported intussuscepted lesion, to the best of our knowledge.

[A woman with ongoing anaemia]

In a 65-year-old female with iron deficiency anaemia, video capsule endoscopy showed an ulcerative polyp in the proximal ileum. After histological examination we made the diagnosis 'granuloma pyogenicum', a rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. After partial resection of the small intestine, the anaemia was cured.

Small bowel intussusception in adults

Intussusception is the telescoping of a proximal segment of the gastrointestinal tract into an adjacent distal segment. This rare form of bowel obstruction occurs infrequently in adults. We report a case of small bowel intussusception in an adult male patient. We have also performed a literature review of this rare condition.

[Brunner's gland adenoma: a rare tumor as cause of pyloric syndrome in an AIDS patient]

Brunner's gland adenoma is a rare neoplasm that accounts for only the 0.008% of all benign duodenal tumors. Here we describe the case ofan HIV-seropositive man who developed a severe pyloric stenosis due to a Brunner's adenoma of the bulb and the first duodenal portion. Gastroduodenoscopy showed a large polypoid tumor that obstructed the pyloric region. The lesion was resected by surgery and a gastroduodenal anastomosis was made. The histopathologic examination of the surgical specimen showed a large proliferation of Brunner's glands into a large pedunculated polyp that confirmed the diagnosis of this hamartoma.

Ileal polypoid lymphangiectasia bleeding diagnosed and treated by double balloon enteroscopy

Intestinal lymphangiectasia is a rare disease characterized by focal or diffuse dilated enteric lymphatics with impaired lymph drainage. It causes protein-losing enteropathy and may lead to gastrointestinal bleeding. Commonly, lymphangiectasia presents as whitish spots or specks. To our knowledge, small bowel bleeding resulting from polypoid intestinal lymphangiectasia has not been reported. Here, we report a rare case of active bleeding from the small bowel caused by polypoid lymphangiectasia with a review of the relevant literature. An 80-year-old woman was hospitalized for melena. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy could not identify the source of bleeding. Subsequent colonoscopy showed fresh bloody material gushing from the small bowel. An abdominal-pelvic contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan did not reveal any abnormal findings. Video capsule endoscopy showed evidence of active and recent bleeding in the ileum. To localize the bleeding site, we performed double balloon enteroscopy by the anal approach. A small, bleeding, polypoid lesion was found in the distal ileum and was successfully removed using endoscopic snare electrocautery.

Malignant paraganglioma of the rectum: The first case report and a review of the literature

Paragangliomas typically develop in the extra-adrenal sites along the sympathetic and/or the parasympathetic chain. Occasionally, the tumors may arise in some exotic sites, including the head and neck region and the urogenital tract. Paraganglioma presenting as a primary rectal neoplasm has not been well described in the literature. Here, we report the first case of malignant paraganglioma arising in the rectum of a 37-year-old male. He presented to the clinic because of hematochezia with tenesmus. The anorectal digital examination and colonoscopic examination revealed a polypoid mass of the rectum, measuring approximately 4 cm in diameter. The overall morphology and immunophenotype were consistent with a typical paraganglioma. However, the tumor exhibited features suggestive of malignant potential, including local extension into adjacent adipose tissue, nuclear pleomorphism, confluent tumor necrosis, vascular invasion and metastases to regional lymph nodes. In conclusion, we present the first case of rectal malignant paraganglioma. Due to the unexpected occurrence in this region, malignant paraganglioma may be misdiagnosed as other tumors with overlapping features; in particular, a neuroendocrine tumor of epithelial origin. Because of the differences in treatment, separating paraganglioma from its mimics is imperative. Combination of morphology with judicious immunohistochemical study is helpful in obtaining the correct diagnosis.

Surgical alternatives in the treatment of intestinal intussusceptions resulting from polyps in adults

Adult intussusception is an uncommon disease requiring surgical intervention. The aim of this study is to discuss the surgical alternatives and share our experience in the treatment of adult patients with intussusceptions formed as a result of polyps. The retrospective study included 16 adult patients who underwent surgery after the diagnosis of intestinal invaginations resulting from polyps between the years 2000 and 2011. Sixteen patients (seven males and nine females; mean age, 48.18 years; range, 18 to 76 years) presented with intestinal intussusceptions. Although a preoperative diagnosis was carried out in 11 (68.75%) patients, the diagnosis was made intraoperatively in five patients (31.25%). Among the patients, seven (43.8%) had undergone emergency surgeries and nine (52.8) had elective surgery. The invagination in 12 patients (75%) was located in the small intestine, in two patients (12.5%) in the colon, and in a further two patients (12.5%), it was ileocecally located. Ten patients (62.5%) had segmental resection + anastomosis; three patients underwent (18.8%) segmental resection + enterostomy, and three (18.8%) received hemicolectomies. In adults, surgical treatment is always the primary option in intussusceptions resulting from polyps. Although the surgical method of choice in colonically located ones is en bloc resection without reduction, because the polyps located in the small intestine are usually of a benign nature, segmental resection with reduction should be performed in elective surgery and segmental resection without reduction should be performed in emergency cases.

Rectal bleeding in Egyptian children

AIM

In a prospective study to outline the aetiology of bleeding per rectum (BPR) in Egyptian infants and children, a subsidiary aim was to define some of the clinical characteristics of the different aetiologies.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

194 children with BPR are described. The diagnostic work-up included laboratory investigations, radiological and endoscopic assessment, radio-isotope scanning, angiography and histopathological examination of mucosal biopsies, as appropriate.

RESULTS

Ages ranged from 3 to 192 months with a mean (SD) of 49.8 (43.5). Infectious enterocolitis was the most common cause (37.1%). Others included colorectal polyps (21.1%), chronic colitis (16%) including inflammatory bowel diseases (5.2%), allergic colitis (2.6%), solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (1.5%) and non-specific colitis (6.7%). Intussusception and Meckel's diverticulae were the cause in 7.3% and 2.6%, respectively, while other aetiologies included vascular (6.2%), systemic (3.6%), local anal (3.1%) and upper gastro-intestinal causes (1.5%). In 1.5% of cases, the cause remained 'obscure'.

CONCLUSION

In Egyptian children, infectious enterocolitis followed by colorectal polyps and chronic colitis are major causes of BPR.

Serrated colon polyps as precursors to colorectal cancer

Identification of the serrated neoplasia pathway has improved our understanding of the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Insights include an increased recognition of the malignant potential of different types of serrated polyps such as sessile and traditional serrated adenomas. Sessile serrated adenomas share molecular features with colon tumors that have microsatellite instability and a methylator phenotype, indicating that these lesions are precursors that progress via the serrated neoplasia pathway. These data have important implications for clinical practice and CRC prevention, because hyperplastic polyps were previously regarded as having no malignant potential. There is also evidence that the serrated pathway contributes to interval or missed cancers. Endoscopic detection of serrated polyps is a challenge because they are often inconspicuous with indistinct margins and are frequently covered by adherent mucus. It is important for gastroenterologists to recognize the subtle endoscopic features of serrated polyps to facilitate their detection and removal, and thereby ensure a high-quality colonoscopic examination. Recognition of the role of serrated polyps in colon carcinogenesis has led to the inclusion of these lesions in postpolypectomy surveillance guidelines. However, an enhanced effort is needed to identify and completely remove serrated adenomas, with the goal of increasing the effectiveness of colonoscopy to reduce CRC incidence.

[Small bowel intussusception and Vanek's tumor in an elderly woman]

Inflammatory fibroid polyps are non-frequent benign lesions, described by Vanek in 1949, originated in the sub mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract. They have an uncertain origin and they are formed of fibroblastic and mesenchymal proliferations with an important eosinophilic proportion. Depending on where are they localized, could present different type of symptoms. The inflammatory fibroid polyps are one of the rare benign conditions causing intestinal intussusception in adults. We present the case of a 82 years old woman, who presented an intestinal intussusception due to an inflammatory fibroid polyp localized in the small bowel.

[Unique duodenal hamartomatous polyp--case report]

Duodenal tumors are very rare tumors, with the lower incidence among the tumors of the small bowel, whose frequence is less than 5 % of all digestive tumors. In most of the cases these tumors remain asymptomatic, sometimes the entire life. When they become symptomatic, their first manifestation is the loss of digested blood (melena), secondary anemia and obstructive symptomatology. Early diagnosis of these tumors is difficult because of the unsystematic symptomatology and becomes easy when the complications appear. In most of the cases the diagnosis is establish by the superior digestive endoscopy, followed by barium contrast studies, CT and ultrasound. We present a case of duodenal hamartomatous polip, unique, at the level of D3, in a female patient 66 years old, addressing to our service for superior digestive hemorrhage exteriorizated by melena, secondary anemia and physical asthenia; we operated the patient procedeeing a polypectomy by a duodenotomy.

Small bowel obstruction due to inflammatory fibroid polyp

Inflammatory fibroid polyp is a benign and non-neoplastic condition of the intestinal tract, commonly affecting the gastric antrum, though it can affect any part of the gastro-intestinal tract. It is a submucosal, sessile, poypoid mass composed of myofibroblast like mesenchymal cells, numerous small blood vessels and marked inflammatory cell infiltrate mainly eosinophils. It commonly presents as intestinal obstruction or intussusception. A case of recurrent partial small intestinal obstruction due to intermittent intussusception associated with inflammatory fibroid polyp of jejunum is being reported.

[Clinico-morphological characteristics of major duodenal papilla benign neoformations of patients with postcholecystectomy syndrome]

The article is devoted to a problem of diagnosis and treatment of postcholecystectomy syndrome caused by benign neoformations of the major duodenal papilla. The material of study was formed by 76 patients; among them 53 ones had isolated benign neoformations of the major duodenal papilla. The medical-diagnostic algorithm applied by authors for the examination of patients with postcholecystectomy syndrome is presented. It's been defined, that benign neoformations of the major duodenal papilla take an essential place in the structure of postcholecystectomy syndrome and make 13.5% of the reasons of its occurrence. Thus, the most widespread morphological substratum of these benign neoformations is the hyperplastic polyp.

Nonsurgical management of small-bowel polyps in Peutz-Jeghers syndrome with extensive polypectomy by using double-balloon endoscopy

BACKGROUND

The major problem in the management of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is small-bowel polyps, which can cause intussusception and bleeding. Double-balloon endoscopy (DBE) enables endoscopic resection of small-bowel polyps.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of endoscopic management of small-bowel polyps in PJS patients by using DBE.

DESIGN

Retrospective chart review.

SETTING

Single university hospital.

PATIENTS

Consecutive patients with PJS who underwent multiple sessions of DBE for evaluation or treatment of small-bowel polyps between September 2000 and April 2009.

INTERVENTIONS

Endoscopic resection of small-bowel polyps in PJS patients was performed by using DBE.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Efficacy, safety, and long-term laparotomy rate after the procedures were evaluated.

RESULTS

Fifteen patients (10 men, mean age 34.0 ± 15.8 years) underwent DBE for a mean 3.0 ± 1.0 sessions. The mean numbers of resected polyps larger than 20 mm significantly decreased as sessions advanced (first, 3.6; second, 1.3; third, 0.7; fourth, 0.4; and fifth, 1.0; P = .02). The mean maximum sizes of resected polyps also significantly decreased at each session: 33, 19, 12, 17, and 30 mm (P = .01). One patient had a perforation, but was managed conservatively. Other complications were pancreatitis (n = 2) and bleeding (n = 2). Only 1 patient underwent surgery for intussusception during the study period.

LIMITATIONS

This was a small single-center retrospective study of short duration.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic management of small-bowel polyps in PJS patients by using DBE is safe and effective and avoids urgent laparotomy.

Vanek's polyp or inflammatory fibroid polyp. Case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Intussusception in an adult must make us suspect the presence of a tumor (benign or potentially dangerous) as the most frequent cause. Accurate diagnosis is of great importance in order to provide appropriate treatment and improve patient prognosis.

CLINICAL CASE

We report the case of a 42-year-old male with abdominal pain. We performed a CT and found a small bowel intussusception. Definitive diagnosis according to the surgical specimen was inflammatory fibroid polyp (Vanek's polyp).

CONCLUSIONS

Vanek's polyp is a benign lesion that occurs most frequently in the stomach and secondarily in the small bowel. Generally, it is uncommon, and its etiology is not completely known. Accurate diagnosis is done with immunohistochemistry. Because of the consequences that depend on the size and location of the lesion, it may be considered a malignant lesion. Treatment is resection.

Adult intussusception with perforation and secondary peritonitis. Case report

BACKGROUND

Intussuception is an uncommon condition in adults. It is usually secondary to an organic lesion that may be malignant. The most common clinical presentation is as a partial bowel obstruction that requires surgical management. Preoperative diagnosis remains difficult; therefore, this paper presents a case report and a brief review of adult intussusception.

CLINICAL CASE

We present the case of a 24-year-old female with a 36-h evolution of lower abdominal pain with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea and a previous episode 8 days earlier. Pneumoperitoneum was observed on chest x-ray and surgery was decided upon. Peritonitis due to ileoileal intussusception was found, caused by an inflammatory fibroid polyp with microperforations. Small bowel resection with end-to-end anastomosis was performed and the patient had an uneventful recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

Adult intussusception is an infrequent condition with nonspecific symptoms such as pain, nausea and vomiting. With more frequent use of tomography in patients with abdominal pain, correct diagnosis can be achieved. Treatment requires resection of the involved bowel without attempted reduction.