ATHEROEMBOLI-ASSOCIATED POLYPS OF THE SIGMOID COLON

Atheroemboli-associated inflammatory type polyps localized to a portio n of the sigmoid colon occurred in a 68-year-old diabetic man presenti ng with a 2-year history of bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain. The pa tient underwent segment resection of the sigmoid colon. The specimen c ontained 15 polyps ranging from 0.3 to 1.9 cm in greatest dimension, l ocalized to an 8-cm length of sigmoid colon. The polyps had an edemato us submucosa with a superficially ulcerated mucosa. Microscopically, a rterioles within the submucosa of the polyps contained organized ather oemboli. The overlying mucosa was largely replaced by granulation tiss ue, with foci of coagulation necrosis present in residual mucosa. The remainder of the bowel was unremarkable. The histologic diagnosis of a theroembolization to the gastrointestinal tract is difficult, requirin g the inclusion of submucosa with atheroemboli in the biopsy tissue. I schemic ulcers and erosions as well as inflammatory polyps related to atheroemboli may require deeper biopsy for etiologic diagnosis.