Rectum lipoma incarcerated in anus as a cause of abundant rectorrhagia

Abstract

Introduction. Lipomas are slow-growing, benign tumors of mesenchymal origin. In most cases, they are incidental findings during endoscopic examinations. Lipomas in the gastrointestinal tract are rare entities with the lowest rate of occurrence in the rectum. They are mostly asymptomatic but can cause pain, intussusception, bleeding, volvulus, prolapse, and weight loss if larger than 4 cm. The aim of the presented case report was to demonstrate that abundant rectorrhagia can be caused by a rare entity such as rectal lipoma. Case report. We presented the case of a fifty-year-old male patient with a soft-structure prolapse through the anus accompanied by extensive bleeding. After repositioning, the structure was endoscopically removed. Histopathological analysis confirmed the presence of a lipoma. Conclusion. Rectorrhagia can be a clinical manifestation of this rare condition – incarcerated rectal lipoma – and should be considered in practice as a differential diagnosis in cases where the existence of more common conditions like hemorrhoidal disease and malignant tumors is excluded.

Keywords

• diagnosis, differential
• gastrointestinal hemorrhage
• hemostasis, endoscopic
• histological techniques
• lipoma
• rectal neoplasms