Life-threatening gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to juvenile polyposis

Pediatric Rectosigmoid Atypical Juvenile Polyps Presenting With Rectal Prolapse and Acute Bleeding: A Case Report and a Comprehensive Literature Review

Rectosigmoid solitary juvenile polyps are benign lesions, relatively frequent in childhood. The clinical debut of a pediatric polyp with bleeding is relatively frequent, but there are very few reports of rectal prolapse of polyps. We present the case of a 7-year-old female patient with no previous history who presented with rectal prolapse of a polyp with acute bleeding. An urgent endoscopic examination was performed and 2 rectosigmoid polypoid lesions were found and resected. The anatomopathological study showed that these were 2 hamartomatous polyps with mild dysplasia. The patient is asymptomatic and is being followed up. The literature concerning rectal prolapse of polyps in the pediatric population is scarce. In a pediatric patient with a rectal prolapse, this entity should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Juvenile polyposis syndrome might be misdiagnosed as familial adenomatous polyposis: a case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Juvenile polyposis syndrome (JPS) is a rare disorder characterized by the presence of multiple juvenile polyps in the gastrointestinal tract, and germline mutations in SMAD4 or BMPR1A. Due to its rarity and complex clinical manifestation, misdiagnosis often occurs in clinical practice.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 42-year-old man with multiple pedunculated colorectal polyps and concomitant rectal adenocarcinoma was admitted to our hospital. His mother had died of colon cancer. He was diagnosed with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and underwent total proctocolectomy and ileal pouch anal anastomosis. Two polyps were selected for pathological examination. One polyp had cystically dilated glands with slight dysplasia. The other polyp displayed severe dysplasia and was diagnosed as adenoma. Three years later, his 21-year-old son underwent a colonoscopy that revealed more than 50 pedunculated colorectal juvenile polyps. Both patients harbored a germline pathogenic mutation in BMPR1A. Endoscopic resection of all polyps was attempted but failed. Finally, the son received endoscopic resection of polyps in the rectum and sigmoid colon, and laparoscopic subtotal colectomy. Ten polyps were selected for pathological examination. All were revealed to be typical juvenile polyps, with cystically dilated glands filled with mucus. Thus, the diagnosis of JPS was confirmed in the son. A review of the literatures revealed that patients with JPS can sometimes have adenomatous change. Most polyps in patients with JPS are benign hamartomatous polyps with no dysplasia. A review of 767 colorectal JPS polyps demonstrated that 8.5% of the polyps contained mild to moderate dysplasia, and only 0.3% had severe dysplasia or cancer. It is difficult to differentiate juvenile polyps with dysplasia from adenoma, which could explain why juvenile polyps have been reported to have adenomatous changes in patients with JPS. Therefore, patients with JPS, especially those with concomitant dysplasia and adenocarcinoma, might be easily diagnosed as FAP in clinical practice.

CONCLUSIONS

Juvenile polyp with dysplasia is often diagnosed as adenoma, which might lead to the misdiagnosis of JPS as FAP. The differential diagnosis of JPS versus FAP, should be based on comprehensive evaluation of clinical presentation, endoscopic appearance and genetic investigations; not on the presence or absence of adenoma.

Management of Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome in Children and Adolescents: A Position Paper From the ESPGHAN Polyposis Working Group

The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) Polyposis Working Group developed recommendations to assist clinicians and health care providers with appropriate management of patients with juvenile polyposis. This is the first juvenile polyposis Position Paper published by ESPGHAN with invited experts. Many of the published studies were descriptive and/or retrospective in nature, consequently after incorporating a modified version of the GRADE system many of the recommendations are based on expert opinion. This ESPGHAN Position Paper provides a guide for diagnosis, assessment, and management of juvenile polyposis syndrome in children and adolescents, and will be helpful in the appropriate management and timing of procedures in children and adolescents. The formation of international collaboration and consortia is proposed to monitor patients prospectively to advance our understanding of juvenile polyposis conditions.