A cavernous hemangioma of the rectum treated as a hemorrhoid for 1 year prior to its diagnosis: report of a case.
We report herein the case of a 28-year-old woman with a rectal cavernous hemangioma in whom recurrent rectal bleeding and marked anemia were interpreted as being caused by her coexisting internal hemorrhoids, resulting in a delay in the correct diagnosis for 1 year. Digital examination revealed a walnut-sized, wide-based, and elastic soft mass, 3 cm proximal from the anal verge, in addition to the internal hemorrhoids. Colonofiberscopy revealed a bluish submucosal lesion with superficial capillary dilatation at the same site. A transanal local resection was performed and the histological diagnosis of the tumor was cavernous hemangioma. The patient has been well without any recurrence of rectal bleeding for 2 years and 6 months since her operation. Thus, although rectal cavernous hemangioma is rare, a lack of awareness of this condition could lead to misdiagnosis as hemorrhoids and subsequent inappropriate therapy.
Kishi
K
K
Department of Surgery, Tottori Prefectural Central Hospital, Japan.
Takahashi
S
S
Sawata
T
T
Furumoto
T
T
Kawamura
Y
Y
Kato
K
K
D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006484:Hemorrhoids / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors