Intestinal Hemangioma Causing Episodic Bleeding and Iron Deficiency Anemia

Abstract

Hemangiomas of the intestine are extremely rare. The clinical manifestations are intestinal obstruction, hemorrhage, pain and/or intussusception. Overt blood loss is the most common presenting symptom in children. Presented case is a 6 year old girl with a jejunal hemangioma who has suffered from chronic iron deficiency amemia during 4 years due to recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding. Melena was not easily noticed because her black stool color was thought to be due to varidus syrup (iron preparation). Unil the 4th admission, all workups except angiography failed to disclose the source of bleeding. Angiography showed contrast puddling in late venous phase at the area of the jejunoileal junction. Exploratory laparotomy was carried out to reveal a reddish discoloration in a segment of small intestine, 170 cm proximal from the ileocecal valve, and cavernous hemangioma was confirmed.