A rare cause of lower gastrointestinal bleeding.
BACKGROUND
Leiomyoma of the colon are rare benign smooth muscle tumours.


OBJECTIVE
Report a new case of colic leiomyoma revealed by gastrointestinal bleeding.


METHODS
A 71-year-old man, diabetic, consulted the emergencies for acute per-rectal bleeding. The physical examination was essentially normal. Haemoglobin level was 3.7 g/dl.. The upper digestive endoscopy was normal. The colonoscopy showed an active bleeding from the right colon but it was enable to specify the nature and the exact seat of the bleeding lesion. An emergent operation showed a tumor of the right colic angle of 8 cm. A right hemicolectomy was performed with immediate ileocolic anastomosis. Pathology showed a leiomyoma. Postoperative course mentioned a nosocomial pneumopathy.


CONCLUSIONS
Colic leiomyomas are rare benign tumours. The determination of the mitotic index is of primary importance to differentiate them from the leiomyosarcomas of low rank of malignancy whose prognosis is unfavourable.
Service de Chirurgie Générale A, Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis, Tunisia.
Amir
A
Moussi
Ramzi
R
Nouira
Belgacem
B
Bourguiba
Sami
S
Daldoul
Abdeljelil
A
Zaouche
D000368:Aged; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male