Embolization of a hemorrhoid following 18 hours of life-threatening bleeding.
Hemorrhoids usually do not pose diagnostic difficulties and they rarely cause massive bleeding. We report a case of massive rectal bleeding over 18 h needing 22 U blood transfusion treated by superselective transcatheter coil embolization 12 h following operative treatment performed in a different hospital. Diagnostic angiography with a view to superselective embolization, following failure of sigmoidoscopy to localize and treat the cause of hemorrhage, might act as a life-saving treatment in massive rectal bleeding, obviating the need for repeated endoscopy or emergency surgery.
Berczi
Viktor
V
Sheffield Vascular Institute, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, UK. berczi@hotmail.com
Gopalan
Deepa
D
Cleveland
Trevor J
TJ
D000368:Aged; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D004724:Endoscopy; D005119:Extravasation of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Materials / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006484:Hemorrhoids / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D017537:Mesenteric Artery, Inferior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D015642:Radiology, Interventional / Q000379:methods; D012007:Rectum / Q000098:blood supply; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012812:Sigmoidoscopy; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006454:Hemoglobins