Juvenile colorectal polyps in children: experience in Pakistan

Juvenile colorectal polyps are the most common cause of pediatric hematochezia and contribute to significant morbidity if not treated early. This report describes an experience with juvenile colorectal polyps in children (< or =14 years) from Pakistan. In a 3-year period, 154 polyps were documented in 129 children. The mean age at presentation was 5.2 years, with a male predominance. Most children presented with painless rectal bleeding (+/-13 months) associated with other symptoms, such as protrusion of a mass through the anus, diarrhea, and recurrent abdominal pain. Anemia was observed in 54 children, of whom 14 (26%) required blood transfusion before intervention. Diagnosis was made by digital rectal examination, proctosigmoidoscopy, and barium enema. The average distance of a colorectal polyp was 4 cm from the anal verge. In 108 (84%) children the polyps were solitary, whereas 21 patients had more than one polyp (maximum three) at different locations in the rectosigmoid area. All polyps were successfully removed by proctosigmoidoscopy. Histological examination revealed dysplastic changes in one case, while the rest were inflammatory. Recurrence occurred in seven children within 1 year of initial removal. Juvenile colorectal polyps contribute to a substantial morbidity in children and do carry a minimal risk of developing dysplastic changes, and therefore should be removed early.