J Korean Soc Coloproctol.  2008 Aug;24(4):292-297. 10.3393/jksc.2008.24.4.292.

Clinicopathological Features of Retrorectal Tumors in an Adult: A Case Report and Review of the Literatures

• Kwon HY
• Hur H
• Min BS
• Kim NK
• Sohn SK
• Cho CH

• KMID: 2101462
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3393/jksc.2008.24.4.292

Abstract

Retrorectal tumors are particularly rare among the adult population, occurring in 1 of 40,000 hospital admissions. Clinical diagnosis is difficult and is often delayed because of vague symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological features of retrorectal tumors. Between January 1999 and March 2005, 10 patients were diagnosed with retrorectal tumors at the Department of Surgery, Yonsei University Medical Center, and their medical records were reviewed. We analyzed chief complaints, imaging studies, surgical approaches and pathologic examinations. Out of 10 patients, 8 were female and 2 were male. The mean age was 42.8 years. Four patients had no symptoms. Perianal and abdominal pain were the most common presentations. CT and MRI were the most frequently performed imaging studies. Surgery was performed in 9 patients. Postoperative pathologic diagnosis was possible in 9 patients. An epidermal cyst was the most common tumor (4 patients); others included a mature teratoma, an adenocarcinoma from a tail gut cyst, a duplication cyst, a neurogenic tumor, and a smooth muscle cell tumor. Imaging techniques like CT scans, MRI and TRUS are helpful to determine the size and the extent of a tumor and its relationship to the surrounding anatomical structures for the operative approach. A surgical resection is the standard of treatment and demonstrates good results and a good prognosis.

Keyword

Retrorectal tumor; Epidermal cyst; Mature teratoma; Tail gut cyst; Duplication cyst

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Academic Medical Centers
Adenocarcinoma
Adult
Epidermal Cyst
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Medical Records
Myocytes, Smooth Muscle
Prognosis
Teratoma