Osseous metaplasia in an ulcerating tubular adenoma of the colon: a case report

Victoria White¹ , Aidan G Shaw² , Gillian M Tierney¹ , Jonathan N Lund² and David Semeraro³

¹Department of Colorectal Surgery, Derby City General Hospital, Derby, UK

²School of Graduate Medicine and Health, University of Nottingham United Kingdom, Derby, DE22 3DT, UK

³Department of Histopathology, Derby City General Hospital, Derby, UK

author email corresponding author email

Journal of Medical Case Reports 2008, 2:130doi:10.1186/1752-1947-2-130


Published:	29 April 2008

Abstract

Introduction

Heterotopic bone is rarely found in the gastrointestinal tract. Here we report a rare case of metaplastic ossification within a benign ulcerating adenoma and review the literature concerning the aetiology.

Case presentation

A 63-year-old woman, who presented with a history of melaena, was found at colonoscopy to have a pedunculated ulcerating polyp. Histological examination demonstrated multiple areas of osseous metaplasia within the polyp stroma.

Conclusion

Heterotopic ossification in colonic adenomas is a particularly rare phenomenon, with the majority of cases occurring within malignant lesions. The suggested mechanisms for its aetiology still remain unclear.