What Is an Anal Polyp?

Anal polyps are pedicled round or oval masses on the anal canal or rectal mucosa, which can move up and down into the intestinal cavity. Most of its pedicles are caused by intestinal peristalsis or prolonged fecal stretching. Anal polyps are mostly caused by chronic irritation of feces. They are common benign tumors and a few can be malignant. Anal polyps are mostly single and multiple are minority.

Basic Information

Visiting department

Anorectal, general

Multiple groups

Irregular diet and rest, constipation

Common locations

anus

Common causes

Associated with factors such as diet, inflammation, stool and foreign body stimuli

Common symptoms

Blood in the stool, prolapse, bowel irritation

Contagious

no

Causes of anal polyps

Many pathological factors, such as dietary factors, inflammatory stimuli, feces, foreign body stimuli and mechanical damage, as well as genetic factors can cause anal polyps.

Clinical manifestations of anal polyps

Blood in the stool

Painless blood in the stool is the main clinical manifestation of anal polyps, and some patients may have no symptoms of blood in the stool. The amount of bleeding is generally small. If the polyps fall off due to squeezing during defecation, the volume of polyps is large and the position is low, a large amount of bleeding can occur. Blood in the stool is characterized by blood in the stool without bleeding.

2. Prolapse

When the anal polyp is large or large, the intestinal mucosa is pulled due to gravity, causing it to gradually separate from the muscle layer and prolapse downward. The patient's bowel movements and bowel motility stimulation can relax the mucosal layer around the pedicle and can cause rectal prolapse.

3. Intestinal irritation

Intestinal peristalsis pulls on polyps, which may cause intestinal irritation symptoms such as abdominal discomfort, abdominal pain, diarrhea, pus and bloody stools, and post-emergency stress.

Anal polyps examination

Laboratory inspection

Fecal occult blood tests are often positive.

2. Endoscopy

Under the microscope, the adenoma was slightly red in appearance, pediculated or broad-based, and spherical or hemispherical in shape.

3. Pathological examination

Polyp-like lesions should undergo polyp removal or histological examination under endoscopy to determine the nature, type, and presence of cancer.

Anal polyps diagnosis

Diagnosis can be made based on clinical manifestations and anal examinations.

Anal polyps treatment

Anal polyps often require surgical treatment, and the pathological diagnosis of polyp specimens after surgery is essential. Some patients may have recurrence after resection and require multiple surgeries:

1. For basal polyps with pedicled polyps less than 2 cm in diameter, non-polyposis patients can undergo anal resection or endoscopic snare removal, biopsy forceps removal, and high-frequency electrocoagulation.

2. For wide-based polyps with a diameter greater than 2cm, the surgical scheme can be selected according to the actual clinical situation:

(1) Transanal surgery is suitable for rectal polyps located below the peritoneal reflex.

(2) Transabdominal surgery is suitable for polyps with a basal diameter greater than 2 cm above the peritoneal reflex.

(3) For wide-base polyps with a diameter greater than 2 cm, the lesion is only located in the mucosal layer, and endoscopic submucosal dissection is feasible.

(4) For those who are 5 to 15 cm from the edge of the anus, a polypectomy can be performed under anal endoscopy.

(5) 5 to 10 cm from the edge of the anus, the resection via the anal sphincter is also feasible.