Chronic bleeding caused by small bowel angiodysplasia: a problem of recognition and diagnosis.
Angiodysplasia of the gastrointestinal tract is a disorder consisting of ectasia of submucosal and mucosal vessels, which causes acute and chronic bleeding. We describe the case of a 58-year-old man with a history of recurrent lower intestinal bleeding and severe anemia. Endoscopy and X-ray examination of the gastrointestinal tract failed to show the source of bleeding. Selective angiography of the superior and inferior mesenteric arteries revealed a vascular ectasia. The patient underwent ileo-cecal resection with remarkable improvement after surgery.
Di Girolamo
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Istituto di Clinica Medica, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Italy.
Malavasi
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A
Cassisa
L
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Cossu
M L
ML
Dettori
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Realdi
G
G
D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000209:etiology; D016888:Angiodysplasia / Q000150:complications*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003106:Colon / Q000098:blood supply; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007077:Ileal Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D007082:Ileum / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014680:Veins; D014699:Venules