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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Journal of Coloproctology 2023; 43(03): e224-e226
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1773781
Case Report

McKittrick Wheelock Syndrome Secondary to Adenocarcinoma of the Rectum. Case Report and Diagnostic Considerations

Claudia Alejandra Aceves Quintero 
2   Department of General Surgery, Hospital Angeles Pedregal, Mexico city, México
,
Santiago Taracena Pacheco 
1   Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Angeles Pedregal, Mexico city, México
,
Itzel Vela Sarmiento 
3   Department of Surgical Oncology and Robotic Surgery, Hospital Angeles Pedregal, Mexico city, Mexico
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Abstract

Introduction McKittrick-Wheelock syndrome is a rare entity characterized by chronic diarrhea, acute kidney injury, and hydroelectrolytic imbalance associated with a large rectal tumor, frequently a villous adenoma.

Case report A 69-year-old male with chronic diarrhea with mucus. He underwent a colonoscopy with biopsies, reporting adenocarcinoma of the rectum in situ, and underwent a robot assisted intersphincteric resection with colo-anal anastomosis and a protecitive ileostomy.

Discussion Described in 1954, this syndrome is manifested by electrolyte imbalance and acute renal injury secondary to diarrhea associated with a rectal villous adenoma, often with long lasting symptoms. The most frequent symptom being watery diarrhea with mucus. The definitive treatment consists of surgical resection.

Conclusion Although this is a rare pathology, it should be considered as a differential diagnosis in cases of chronic diarrhea associated with water and electrolyte disorders.

Keywords

Villous adenoma - watery diarrhea - acute kidney injury - rectal cancer


Publication History

Received: 20 September 2022

Accepted: 14 August 2023

Article published online:
21 September 2023

© 2023. Sociedade Brasileira de Coloproctologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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