title: Gastrointestinal bleeding and protein-losing enteropathy after the fontan operation.
abstract: Gastrointestinal bleeding has not been reported in patients with protein-losing enteropathy. The investigators describe 3 patients with protein-losing enteropathy and gastrointestinal bleeding after Fontan operations. Bleeding occurred at the onset of protein-losing enteropathy, was macroscopic, led to anemia, and required blood transfusion in all patients. Invasive testing failed to demonstrate gastrointestinal pathology as a source of bleeding. In conclusion, unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding may be part of the clinical spectrum of protein-losing enteropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine/Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Himeshkumar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vyas
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Driscoll
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cetta
authors.forename: Conor G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Loftus
authors.forename: Heidi M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Connolly
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018729:Fontan Procedure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage; D011379:Prognosis; D011504:Protein-Losing Enteropathies / Q000209:etiology*