A Rare Causing of Difficulty in Defecation: Rectal Schwannoma

Abstract

Objective: Schwannomas are mainly benign, non-epithelial tumors originating in the Schwann cells, which form nerve sheaths. Schwannomas account for about 2-8% of all gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors, encountered more frequently in the stomach and the small intestine. Schwannomas of the colon and rectum are extremely rare. Case Presentation: In this report, we present a thirty-nine-year-old woman admitted for complaints of rectal fullness and difficulty in defecation. At her rectal examination, a polypoid tumor 22x27x27mm in size was found filling the lumen of the rectum; it was well defined, with a homogeneous nature and benign appearance. Complete excision of the tumor was achieved by a transanal surgical approach. Histolopathological and immunohistochemical diagnosis of the tumor reported a rectal schwannoma. There has been no tumor recurrence at 18 months after surgical excision. Conclusion: A schwannoma of the rectum is rare; a benign tumor can usually be separated from GISTs with immunohistochemical staining, and it carries a good prognosis with local excision, which is the procedure of choice. [Arch Clin Exp Surg 2014; 3(1.000): 59-63]

Keywords

• Defecation difficulty
• schwannoma
• immunohistochemical staining