Colon Polyp | Symptoms and Types of Colon Polyps

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Chris in Digestive Disorders

Symptoms of colon polyp

Any circumscribed mass of tissue that arises from mucosa and protrudes into the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract is called as polyp. This is a purely clinical term and this term does not signify anything histopathologically.

Polyps of the colon are classified as follows

  • Inflammatory polyps
    • Benign lymphoid polyps
    • Pseudo-polyps (ulcerative colitis)
  • Hamartomas polyps
    • Juvenile polyp
    • Peutz-Jegher’s polyp
  • Hyperplastic polyps
  • Neoplastic polyps
    • Tubular adenoma
    • Villous adenoma
    • Familial polyposis coli.

Inflammatory polyps

  • The benign lymphoid polyp is most frequently found in the rectum and terminal ileum. As the name suggests, it is composed of normal lymphoid tissue, but devoid of sinuses. Benign lymphoid polyp is more common in children.
    Only excisional biopsy can diagnose this condition with certainty.
  • Inflammatory polyposis is associated with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.

Hamartomas polyps

  • Juvenile polyps
    • Most important symptom is streaks of blood in stool. Occasionally rectal bleeding is complained of. Repeated bleeding will make these patients anemic. Rectal examination confirms the diagnosis. Sigmoidoscopy will help to visualize when polyp is higher up.
  • Peutz-Jegher’s polyp

These polyps are situated in small intestine. They can also occur in rectum or colon and may be multiple.

Hyperplastic polyps

These are mostly of academic interest as they do not produce any symptom. These are frequently multiple.

These are seen in all ages, but more frequently above 40yrs of age.

Neoplastic polyps

  • Symptoms of  Tubular adenoma
    • Majority of them are asymptomatic. Most common symptom if any is modest amount of rectal hemorrhage. Mucus through rectum and something coming out through anus are other symptoms which may be complained of.
  • Symptoms of  Villous adenoma
    • 2/3rd of the patients will present with bright red rectal bleeding. Discharge of mucus and watery diarrhea are also common. Weight loss is seen in about 1/2 the cases. About 1/2 the patients will present with obstruction, constipation and lower abdominal colic.
  • Symptoms of  Familial polyposis coli
    • This condition also does produce prominent symptoms so that may be absent or slight intermittent abdominal discomfort may be the only symptom present.
    • Passage of loose stool, blood-stained stool with mucus and frequent bouts of abdominal pain are quite common. Anemia, weight loss and general debility appear along with carcinoma. Occasionally large polyps may prolapse through the anus or cause intestinal obstruction by initiating intussusceptions.

 

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