Gastrointestinal bleeding in emergency setting: two cases of intestinal angiodysplasia and unusual conservative surgical treatment

Abstract

The authors report two cases of gastrointestinal bleeding in an emergency setting caused by angiodysplasia of colon and small bowel. They stress the rarity of the lesion and consider the difficulties involved in obtaining a preoperative diagnosis. The optimal management is uncertain and depends on the severity and rate of bleeding. A conservative medical approach is indicated for many patients, while surgery constitutes definitive treatment in case of massive hemorrhage or recurrent bleeding. In the cases reported the diagnosis was performed only via intra-operative enteroscopy. An unusual conservative surgical treatment was performed based on ligation of the vascular elements of the angiodysplasia. This method makes it possible to avoid an intestinal resection and yelds good results.