title: Massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding from idiopathic ileocolonic varix: report of a case.
abstract: Idiopathic varices of the entire colon are very rare. We report on a 64-year-old patient with massive lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage from an extensive ileocolonic varix. Diagnosis was established by colonoscopy. The patient underwent an emergency ileocolectomy with satisfactory results. This rare case shows the importance of colonoscopy in the evaluation of patients with lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage and reminds us that sometimes the diagnosis is not what we expect. Recognition of this abnormality is important because varices may be the cause of massive lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Hospital Geral Santo António, Porto, Portugal. Luis.m.lopes@sapo.pt
authors.forename: Luís M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ramada
authors.forename: Manuela G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Certo
authors.forename: Pedro R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Areias
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pinho
mesh_terms: D003106:Colon / Q000098:blood supply*; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007082:Ileum / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery