Hamartoma of Brunner's glands causing massive haematemesis.
BACKGROUND
Brunner's gland hamartomas are very uncommon lesions and are usually asymptomatic.


METHODS
A 77-year-old man was urgently operated on for massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding, associated with haematemesis.


RESULTS
A 3.5 x 3 x 3 cm mass arising from the anterior aspect of the first part of the duodenum was found. Histologic examination showed groups of Brunner-type glands without atypia; these coexisted with heterotopic pancreatic acini and ducts.


CONCLUSIONS
This is a very rare cause of massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding and may easily be confused with bleeding from a peptic ulcer.
Kouraklis
G
G
Second Dept of Propedeutic Surgery, University of Athens, Greece.
Kostakis
A
A
Delladetsima
J
J
D000368:Aged; D002011:Brunner Glands / Q000473:pathology; D004378:Duodenal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006222:Hamartoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006396:Hematemesis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male