title: An unusual case of colonic angiodysplasia.
abstract: An unusual case of a colonic vascular anomaly resembling angiodysplasia associated with right sided diverticular disease is presented. The patient, a 74 year old man, presented with a four day history of rectal bleeding and subsequently underwent hemicolectomy. The resected specimen was flushed out with heparin-saline solution and injected with a barium-gelatine mixture. Preoperative barium enema revealed right sided diverticula, whereas post-resection angioradiography revealed the "coral reef" vascular anomaly consistent with angiodysplasia. Histology confirmed the presence of both diverticular disease and angiodysplasia. This case report highlights the importance of considering a vascular anomaly in patients presenting with rectal bleeding despite the presence of another radiologically demonstrable anatomical lesion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Bristol Royal Infirmary.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Trendell-Smith
authors.forename: B F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Sheffield
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Durdey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016888:Angiodysplasia / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D004240:Diverticulum / Q000150:complications* / Q000151:congenital; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography