Options in the surgical treatment of diffuse cavernous hemangioma of the rectum

Cavernous haemangioma of the rectum is an unusual hamartomatous malformation. Patients usually present with painless massive rectal bleeding that generally begins at an early age and frequently surgery is necessary. To avoid abdominoperineal resection of the rectum in these patients, a procedure of colo-anal sleeve anastomosis, that includes a large rectal mucosectomy, has been described. However, in our opinion, if affectation of other pelvic organs can been excluded by MRI, it is easier to do a conservative proctectomy with colo-anal anastomosis. We present a case in a seventeen years old patient.