Clinical History.—A 6-year-old girl was brought to the Emergency Room at Harlem Hospital Center with a history of intermittent, painless rectal bleeding of two months' duration. During a previous hospitalization she was treated for an episode of hemorrhagic cystitis.
Physical Examination.—The examination revealed an obese girl in no apparent distress. Her vital signs were as follows: temperature, 99 F (37.2 C); pulse rate, 100 beats per minute; respirations, 24 breaths per minute; blood pressure, 100/60 mm Hg. Her hematocrit value was 33%, and there were no abnormal physical findings. Rectosigmoidoscopic examination was normal. A barium enema with air contrast was ordered (Fig 1 and 2).
Denouement and Discussion
Juvenile Colonic Polyp
The most common tumors of the gastrointestinal tract in children are colonic polyps. They are more frequent in the first decade but virtually unknown in the first year of life. The peak incidence is around 4 years with a