[Intestinal malacoplakia in childhood. Report of 5 cases]

We studied 5 children with intestinal malakoplakia who were seen during a period of 10 years. Four were male and one female. The main clinical manifestations were: chronic bloody and mucous diarrhea, abdominal pain and polypoid masses detected by rectal maneuver. Either the radiological study as well as endoscopy showed the presence of stenosis and polypoid masses (pseudopolyps). Two patients underwent laparotomy and a tumoral infiltration at the level of rectal-sigmoid and cecal appendix was found. Histological diagnosis proves to be definitive in these case. Drug treatment has been with bethanechol, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in three patients. We conclude that intestinal malakoplakia is more common that ulcerative colitis in our children population attending at this institute. Therefore, the presence of intestinal malakoplakia must be ruled out in every child having chronic bloody and mucous diarrhea, presenting as well pseudopolyps.