CASE HISTORY

The patient, a housewife aged 69, noticed blood in her stools 5 years before operation. At that time sigmoidoscopy revealed nothing, though barium enema showed diverticulitis. Intermittent bleeding occurred during the next few years, and following two heavy haemorrhages she was re-investigated and a filling defect noted in the sigmoid colon after barium enema. At operation a lump was felt in the sigmoid colon, a few inches of which were resected.

PATHOLOGY

The specimen shows a cherry-like polyp attached to the bowel mucosa by two long stalks.