title: Chronic bleeding caused by small bowel angiodysplasia: a problem of recognition and diagnosis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Medica, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Girolamo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malavasi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cassisa
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cossu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dettori
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Realdi
mesh_terms: 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