Sometimes Things Are Not Where They Are Supposed to Be: A Case Report of Gastric Heterotopia in the Rectum

Abstract

While gastric heterotopia has been described as occurring anywhere throughout the gastrointestinal tract, an asymptomatic finding in the rectum is exceedingly rare. Gastric heterotopia happens when gastric mucosa arrives in the wrong section of the GI tract during early fetal development. This condition can be asymptomatic or symptomatic, depending on the production of gastric acid and its effects on surrounding tissues. The presence of gastric heterotopia in an unfamiliar location can surprise the clinician with an unusual-appearing lesion. Its symptomology can also lead to unusual complaints whose etiology is only elucidated after biopsies. We report a rare case of a spread-out rectal lesion with heaped-up borders in an asymptomatic female who underwent colonoscopy screening.