Spectrum of complicated intestinal amebiasis through resected specimens: incidence and outcome.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Entamoeba hystolytica (EH) is an enteric protozoan that may cause serious complications that require operative management in children. A retrospective clinical trial was performed to find out the incidence and outcome of complicated intestinal amebiasis (IA) by means of surgically resected specimens in children.

METHODS

The histopathologic evaluation of 554 intestinal specimens (including appendix and polyp) of 482 patients between 1980 and 1997, inclusive, were reviewed. Intestinal biopsy specimens taken from successfully medically treated patients with uncomplicated IA were excluded.

RESULTS

Complicated IA was noted in 18 children (3.7%) consisting of 7 girls and 11 boys with a mean age of 9.2+/-2.3 years. EH was present in the (1) appendices of 4 patients with perforated appendicitis and 3 patients with normal appendix who underwent negative exploration; (2) juvenile polyps of 4 patients presenting with hematochesia; (3) colonic wall of 1 patient presenting with intussusception and treated by resection and anastomosis; (4) cecum of 1 patient presenting with right lower quadrant mass and underwent exploration with the presumptive diagnosis of lymphoma; (5) colonic wall of 5 patients who underwent ileostomy followed by subtotal colectomy and endorectal pull-through with the presumptive diagnosis of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (n = 3), toxic megacolon + peritonitis (n = 1), and total colonic polyposis (n = 1). All above-mentioned patients are alive and free of symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnosis of IA should be considered in a very wide spectrum of clinical appearances. IA may be associated with colonic polyps and perforated appendicitis, may act as a leading point for intussusception, and may mimic the clinical picture of appendicitis and lymphoma resulting in negative explorations. The diagnosis and treatment of complicated IA in patients who received a misdiagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease is a great challenge and requires major and emergency surgery.