Rectal pulse granuloma

Pulse granuloma is a rare benign entity, most likely representing a foreign body reaction to vegetable particles. We report a case of a pulse granuloma involving the rectum. The patient presented with a submucosal and intramuscular mass lesion found at routine rectal examination and subsequent colonoscopy. The mass was excised and the microscopic examination revealed acute and chronic inflammatory cells, foreign-body giant cells, vegetable matter, and convoluted hyaline rings and scattered circular structures containing basophilic granules, consistent with pulse granuloma. There are a few reports in the literature of pulse granulomas, with most occurring in the oral cavity or lungs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported example of pulse granuloma in the rectum. Although rare, familiarity with this entity's distinctive histopathologic features may avoid a delay in diagnosis and prevent the expense of distinguishing it from its histologic lookalikes.