Villous and tubulovillous adenomas of the colon and rectum. Results in 30 patients

UNLABELLED: Colorectal adenomas precede carcinomas as much as they become larger and present villous histology. Since colonoscopic polypectomy cannot remove all polyps, surgical options include local resection as well as segmental colectomy. Significant morbidity and high recurrence rates may occur following individual and polyp-related characteristics. This paper focuses the clinical aspects of colorectal tubulo-villous adenomas and the results of the surgical treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Hospital charts from 30 patients who underwent surgical treatment of colorectal tubulovillous adenomas between 1980 and 1997 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Rectal bleeding, urgency and mucus discharge were the most frequent clinical findings. Proctologic examination (digital and rigid rectosigmoidoscopy) diagnosed the lesion for the majority of cases. Seventy per cent of the polyps were in the distal rectum and 60% were larger than 4 cm. Transanal resection was the surgical option for one half of the patients and segmental colectomy for the other. Fourty-two per cent of the polyps that were considered benign as result of preoperative biopsy showed malignant transformation when the whole polyp was examined. Recurrence rate was 26.7% and 6.7% for patients who underwent local resection and segmental colectomy respectively. Postoperative complication rate was similar for the two surgical groups. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrence may occur frequently after standard local resection. Preoperative biopsy examination has no role for the diagnosis of malignant transformation. Office proctologic examination diagnoses majority of colorectal polyps that may be elected for surgical resection.