Brunner’s Gland Hamartoma: A Case Report, Meta-Analysis, and Algorithm Approach to Obstructing Duodenal Masses

Brunner’s Gland Hamartomas (BGH) are rare, benign lesions. First described by Cruveilhier in 1835, there are fewer than 200 cases reported in the English literature and no large characterizing studies.

Resección endoscópica de hamartoma gigante de glándulas de Brunner. Reporte de un caso

Brunner's gland hamartoma or hyperplasia is a rare benign neoplasm of the small intestine, usually small, that is discovered incidentally on an upper digestive endoscopy or imaging tests. When it reaches a large size, it can cause digestive bleeding or intestinal obstruction. The pathogenesis is unknown. The endoscopic presentation can be nodular, polypoid or a diffuse glandular proliferation with thickening of the duodenal wall, and may be mistaken for a malignant neoplasm. Endoscopic resections of large Brunner's gland hamartomas in the duodenum is little reported in literature, due to its low incidence and diagnostic difficulty. The surgical approach is associated to greater morbidity compared to an endoscopic approach. The case of a 62-year-old patient is reported, who presented melena and symptomatic anemia, secondary to a giant polyp in the duodenal bulb. The polyp was successfully resected endoscopically without complications, which made it possible to avoid a more extensive surgical procedure. Histopathological examination of the whole specimen showed a Brunner's gland hamartoma. Conclusion: Brunner's gland hyperplasia or hamartoma is a benign neoplasm that rarely produces symptoms. Large lesions can become symptomatic and a high clinical-endoscopic suspicion and an evaluation of the extension are necessary before applying any therapeutic procedure, in order to avoid complex surgeries and favor a complete and safe endoscopic resection.

Large Brunner’s Gland Hyperplasia with Bleeding: A Case Report

We report a rare case of a large Brunner’s gland hyperplasia (BGH) with severe anemia. A 33-year-old woman was transferred to our hospital with anemia and a duodenal mass. She had a 2-week history of melena and mild shortness of breath. Her hemoglobin level was 4.9 g/dl, and she required a blood transfusion. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a 7 cm tumor in the descending duodenum, and duodenoscopy revealed a polyp-like tumor with an ulcer at the duodenal bulb. We decided to perform surgery to prevent further bleeding. Intraoperatively, the tumor stalk was located at the anterior wall of the duodenal bulb; the ampulla was not involved, and we resected the tumor with the wall of the duodenal bulb. The resected tumor measured 7.0 × 4.0 × 2.3 cm , and pathologically, the tumor consisted of proliferated Brunner’s glands in a small amount of fibrous stroma. The histological diagnosis was BGH with no malignancy. Most cases of BGH are benign and asymptomatic; however, it is important to be aware that some patients have severe anemia, gastrointestinal obstruction, or malignant potential.

Brunner’s gland adenoma of duodenum

A 78-year-old man presented to our hospital with a 1-year history of abdominal distension and constipation. Except for hypertension, he had no documented medical history. Physical examination was unremarkable. Laboratory examination confirmed no abnormality. Although no clues for abdominal distension were found, esophagogastroduodenoscopy demonstrated a large pedunculated duodenal mass with surface erosions.