Dadigamuwage Sandeepa D, Macaulay Alexander, Jaufer Mafaiz
Colorectal Surgery, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, Plymouth, GBR.
Radiology, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, Plymouth, GBR.
Cureus. 2025 Apr 12;17(4):e82133. doi: 10.7759/cureus.82133. eCollection 2025 Apr.
Massive lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding (LGIB) is a life-threatening condition requiring prompt diagnosis and management. While diverticular disease is a common cause, rare entities such as colonic submucosal lipomas may complicate the presentation. This case highlights the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in managing such a scenario, particularly with recurrent bleeding and postoperative complications. A 61-year-old patient presented with recurrent episodes of massive LGIB over a five-day period. Initial evaluations, including CT angiography and nuclear medicine imaging, identified diverticular disease but failed to localize the bleeding source definitively. Despite receiving 15 units of blood transfusions, the patient experienced persistent bleeding, ultimately necessitating emergency surgery. A right hemicolectomy revealed a submucosal lipoma and diverticular disease in the ascending colon with significant intraluminal hemorrhage. Postoperative management was complicated by pulmonary embolism, requiring therapeutic anticoagulation. This case emphasizes the importance of integrating multiple diagnostic modalities when evaluating massive LGIB, especially in patients with uncommon etiologies. It also highlights the complexities of managing massive transfusion protocols and postoperative thromboembolic events in high-risk patients. This report underscores the need for timely surgical intervention in unresolved cases of massive LGIB and the importance of vigilant postoperative care to prevent complications. Enhanced strategies for early mobilization and hydration are critical for improving outcomes in these patients.
大量下消化道(GI)出血(LGIB)是一种危及生命的情况,需要迅速诊断和处理。虽然憩室病是常见病因,但诸如结肠黏膜下脂肪瘤等罕见病因可能使病情复杂化。本病例突出了处理此类情况时的诊断和治疗挑战,尤其是在反复出血和术后并发症方面。一名61岁患者在五天内出现反复发作的大量LGIB。包括CT血管造影和核医学成像在内的初步评估发现了憩室病,但未能明确出血源的位置。尽管输注了15单位血液,患者仍持续出血,最终需要进行急诊手术。右半结肠切除术显示升结肠存在黏膜下脂肪瘤和憩室病,并伴有大量腔内出血。术后管理因肺栓塞而复杂化,需要进行治疗性抗凝。本病例强调了在评估大量LGIB时整合多种诊断方式的重要性,尤其是在病因不常见的患者中。它还突出了在高危患者中管理大量输血方案和术后血栓栓塞事件的复杂性。本报告强调了在大量LGIB未解决的病例中及时进行手术干预的必要性,以及警惕术后护理以预防并发症的重要性。加强早期活动和补液的策略对于改善这些患者的预后至关重要。