STUDIES ON SEVEN CASES OF SOLITARY ULCER SYNDROME OF THE RECTUM

The condition known as solitary ulcer syndrome of the rectum, presenting peculiar polypoid lesions or ulcer, is uncommon and there are few references in the Japanese literature.During the past 3 years, 7 cases of this condition were treated in our department. These cases are described together with a review of the literature.The youngest was aged 15 years and oldest 86 years. The average age of these affected patients was 51 years and the male to female ratio was 5:2.The lesions involved the anterior or antero-lateral wall of the lower rectum and occurred within the first 8 cm on the oral side of the anal ring. These patients had a habit of straining upon defecation and the most common symptom in this disease was a sensation of incomplete evacuation in defecation, rectal bleeding, passage of mucus and disturbance of bowel habit.The histopathological characteristics of this disease are glandular proliferation, erosion of the mucosa and fibromuscular obliteration.The initial management of this disease is internal therapy but sometimes surgical treatment is needed.