An uncommon cause of lower gastrointestinal bleeding: a case report.
BACKGROUND
This report calls attention to severe gastrointestinal hemorrhage as a manifestation of small bowel carcinod tumor.


METHODS
We report a case of an adult in his 5th decade presenting with massive melena.


METHODS
On presentation the patient was tachycardic (pulse115/min), and hypotensive (BP 80/55 mmHg). His complete physical examination was unremarkable. Rectal exam showed frank blood. Nasogastric lavage produced greenish fluid with no blood. His hemoglobin was 8.1 gm/dl and hematocrit was 25.1%. Panendoscopy revealed an ileal bleeding mass. Interestingly a colonoscopy done 6 months earlier for anemia workup was normal. Emergent laparotomy revealed numerous smaller intraluminal nodules scattered throughout the small bowel.


RESULTS
Histopathology revealed carcinoid tumor.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Tennessee, College of Medicine, Chattanooga, 960 East Third Street, Suite 208, TN 37403, USA. gduttaa@yahoo.com.
Gautam
G
Dutta
Mukta
M
Panda