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Juvenile polyps and ulcerative colitis
1Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510.
Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
|September 1, 1987
Insights
Rectal bleeding in children with ulcerative colitis may signal solitary juvenile polyps, even during remission. These polyps are often missed by imaging, requiring careful endoscopic or surgical evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Colorectal Surgery
Background:
- Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease affecting the colon.
- Juvenile polyps are common benign colorectal polyps in children.
Observation:
- Four pediatric patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), three in remission, presented with rectal bleeding.
- Solitary juvenile polyps were identified as the cause of bleeding in all four cases.
Findings:
- Radiological detection of polyps was poor, with only one of four identified.
- Two polyps were passed spontaneously, one diagnosed via colonoscopy, and one caused intussusception requiring surgery.
Implications:
- Juvenile polyps should be considered in the differential diagnosis of rectal bleeding in pediatric UC patients, irrespective of disease activity.
- Endoscopic surveillance may be crucial for diagnosing these polyps, as radiological methods are often insufficient.
Abstract:
Four children with ulcerative colitis, three of whom were in clinical remission of their disease, experienced rectal bleeding due to solitary juvenile polyps. Only one of the four polyps was detected radiologically. Two children passed their polyps spontaneously, one was identified at colonoscopy, and the fourth caused colocolic intussusception and was removed during surgery.