We present the case of an 18-year-old male patient
that was referred to our Gastroenterology Department
with a history of intermittent painless hematochezia
since childhood. During such instances, he was diagnosed with bowel intussusception, eosinophilic gastroenteritis and inflammatory bowel disease at 4, 6 and 8 years old, respectively. He underwent treatment with
5-aminosalicylic acid for two years, without improvement of symptoms. He was then lost to follow-up until our observatio

Ferreira, Alexandre Oliveira

Lopes, João

Velosa, José

Vitor, Sofia

Revista Española de Enfermedades Digestivas

English

Sapientia

1130-0108/2016/108/8/500-501Revista española de enfeRmedades digestivas© Copyright 2016. sepd y © ARÁN EDICIONES, S.L.Rev esp enfeRm dig2016, Vol. 108, N.º 8, pp. 500-501PICTURES IN DIGESTIVE PATHOLOGYCASE REPORTWe present the case of an 18-year-old male patient that was referred to our Gastroenterology Department with a history of intermittent painless hematochezia since childhood. During such instances, he was diag-nosed with bowel intussusception, eosinophilic gastro-enteritis and inflammatory bowel disease at 4, 6 and 8 years old, respectively. He underwent treatment with 5-aminosalicylic acid for two years, without improve-ment of symptoms. He was then lost to follow-up until our observation.Hemangioma of the rectum - How misleading can hematochezia be?Sofia Vitor1, Alexandre Oliveira Ferreira2, João Lopes1 and José Velosa11Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Hospital de Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte. Lisboa, Portugal. 2Department of Gastroenterology. Centro Hospitalar do Algarve. Portimão, PortugalFig. 1. Colonoscopic findings: bluish nodular submucosal mass (A); bluish and reddish serpentine varicosities (B and C).His physical examination was unremarkable except for digital rectal examination, which found a nodular compress-ible mass by the palpating finger. Blood tests revealed a mild iron deficiency anemia (hemoglobin 120 g/L, MCV 84 fL, ferritin 3 ng/mL). The colonoscopy showed an extended reddish and bluish multinodular submucosal mass in the rectum (Fig. 1), suggesting diffuse cavernous hemangioma of the rectum (DHCR). The magnetic resonance imaging showed diffuse thickening of the entire rectum extending into the distal sigmoid with the mesorectum revealing multi-ple serpiginous structures, corresponding to abnormal blood vessels (axial T2 SPAIR weighted) (Fig. 2). Fig. 2. Axial T1 weighted MRI (A): concentric hypointense thickening of the rectal wall (asterisk) and a heterogeneous mesorectal fat (white arrow). Sagittal T2 weighted (B) and axial T2 SPAIR weighted (C) MRI: diffuse thickening of the entire rectum (asterisk) extending into the distal sigmoid and the mesorectum reveals multiple serpiginous structures with moderate to high intensity corresponding to abnormal blood vessels (white arrows).A B CA B C2016, Vol. 108, N.º 8 HEMANGIOMA OF THE RECTUM - HOW MISLEADING CAN HEMATOCHEZIA BE? 501Rev esp enfeRm Dig 2016;108(8):500-501After discussion, we considered to perform a sphinc-ter-sparing procedure, namely pull through transection and coloanal anastomosis. However, intervention was ruled out by the patient because of his fear of anal incontinence and permanent colostomy. We adopted a conservative strategy with clinical surveillance and iron supplementation. At pres-ent, the patient remains with intermittent rectal bleeding, referring poor quality of life due to his ongoing symptoms.DISCUSSIONThis is a rare case of DHCR. Despite being a benign disease, the management of DHCR requires a sphincter mucosectomy and pull-through coloanal sleeve anasto-mosis which has become the first-line procedure (1-3). Surgical outcomes are non-expectable in 32% of cases, with permanent sphincter lesion or with incomplete DHCR removal (1). As in this case, surgeons or patients refusal to perform the intervention is common, representing a chal-lenge to the clinical follow-up (4).REFERENCES1. Wang HT, Gao XH, Fu CG, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of diffuse cavernous hemangioma of the rectum: Report of 17 cases. World J Surg 2010;34:2477-86. DOI: 10.1007/s00268-010-0691-12. Chatu S, Kumar D, Du Parcq J, et al. A rare cause of rectal bleed-ing masquerading as proctitis. J Crohns Colitis 2013;7:99-102. DOI: 10.1016/j.crohns.2012.05.022. 3. Tan M, Mutch M. Hemangiomas of the pelvis. Clin Colon Rectal Surg 2006;19:94-101. DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-9423504. Hervías D, Turrión JP, Herrera M, et al. Diffuse cavernous hemangio-ma of the rectum: An atypical cause of rectal bleeding. Rev Esp Enferm Dig 2004;96:346-52. DOI: 10.4321/S1130-01082004000500008

Hemangioma of the rectum: how misleading can hematochezia be?

Universidade do Algarve

1130-0108/2016/108/8/500-501
Revista española de enfeRmedades digestivas
© Copyright 2016. sepd y © ARÁN EDICIONES, S.L.
Rev esp enfeRm dig
2016, Vol. 108, N.º 8, pp. 500-501
PICTURES IN DIGESTIVE PATHOLOGY
CASE REPORT
We present the case of an 18-year-old male patient 
that was referred to our Gastroenterology Department 
with a history of intermittent painless hematochezia 
since childhood. During such instances, he was diag-
nosed with bowel intussusception, eosinophilic gastro-
enteritis and inflammatory bowel disease at 4, 6 and 
8 years old, respectively. He underwent treatment with 
5-aminosalicylic acid for two years, without improve-
ment of symptoms. He was then lost to follow-up until 
our observation.
Hemangioma of the rectum - How misleading can hematochezia be?
Sofia Vitor1, Alexandre Oliveira Ferreira2, João Lopes1 and José Velosa1
1Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Hospital de Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte. Lisboa, Portugal. 2Department of 
Gastroenterology. Centro Hospitalar do Algarve. Portimão, Portugal
Fig. 1. Colonoscopic findings: bluish nodular submucosal mass (A); bluish and reddish serpentine varicosities (B and C).
His physical examination was unremarkable except for 
digital rectal examination, which found a nodular compress-
ible mass by the palpating finger. Blood tests revealed a mild 
iron deficiency anemia (hemoglobin 120 g/L, MCV 84 fL, 
ferritin 3 ng/mL). The colonoscopy showed an extended 
reddish and bluish multinodular submucosal mass in the 
rectum (Fig. 1), suggesting diffuse cavernous hemangioma 
of the rectum (DHCR). The magnetic resonance imaging 
showed diffuse thickening of the entire rectum extending 
into the distal sigmoid with the mesorectum revealing multi-
ple serpiginous structures, corresponding to abnormal blood 
vessels (axial T2 SPAIR weighted) (Fig. 2). 
Fig. 2. Axial T1 weighted MRI (A): concentric hypointense thickening of the rectal wall (asterisk) and a heterogeneous mesorectal fat (white arrow). Sagittal 
T2 weighted (B) and axial T2 SPAIR weighted (C) MRI: diffuse thickening of the entire rectum (asterisk) extending into the distal sigmoid and the mesorectum 
reveals multiple serpiginous structures with moderate to high intensity corresponding to abnormal blood vessels (white arrows).
A B C
A B C
2016, Vol. 108, N.º 8 HEMANGIOMA OF THE RECTUM - HOW MISLEADING CAN HEMATOCHEZIA BE? 501
Rev esp enfeRm Dig 2016;108(8):500-501
After discussion, we considered to perform a sphinc-
ter-sparing procedure, namely pull through transection and 
coloanal anastomosis. However, intervention was ruled out 
by the patient because of his fear of anal incontinence and 
permanent colostomy. We adopted a conservative strategy 
with clinical surveillance and iron supplementation. At pres-
ent, the patient remains with intermittent rectal bleeding, 
referring poor quality of life due to his ongoing symptoms.
DISCUSSION
This is a rare case of DHCR. Despite being a benign 
disease, the management of DHCR requires a sphincter 
mucosectomy and pull-through coloanal sleeve anasto-
mosis which has become the first-line procedure (1-3). 
Surgical outcomes are non-expectable in 32% of cases, 
with permanent sphincter lesion or with incomplete DHCR 
removal (1). As in this case, surgeons or patients refusal to 
perform the intervention is common, representing a chal-
lenge to the clinical follow-up (4).
REFERENCES
1. Wang HT, Gao XH, Fu CG, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of diffuse 
cavernous hemangioma of the rectum: Report of 17 cases. World J Surg 
2010;34:2477-86. DOI: 10.1007/s00268-010-0691-1
2. Chatu S, Kumar D, Du Parcq J, et al. A rare cause of rectal bleed-
ing masquerading as proctitis. J Crohns Colitis 2013;7:99-102. DOI: 
10.1016/j.crohns.2012.05.022. 
3. Tan M, Mutch M. Hemangiomas of the pelvis. Clin Colon Rectal Surg 
2006;19:94-101. DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-942350
4. Hervías D, Turrión JP, Herrera M, et al. Diffuse cavernous hemangio-
ma of the rectum: An atypical cause of rectal bleeding. Rev Esp Enferm 
Dig 2004;96:346-52. DOI: 10.4321/S1130-01082004000500008


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Hemangioma of the rectum: how misleading can hematochezia be?

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