Bleeding after liver biopsy in a patient with systemic mastocytosis and malabsorption.

Systemic mastocytosis, with its diffuse infiltration of mast cells into various organs, has resulted in intestinal malabsorption and bleeding diatheses. The pathophysiology underlying these phenomena is unclear, but may be related to the release of histamine and heparin containing mast cell granules. A patient with systemic mastocytosis had malabsorption and developed massive bleeding after percutaneous liver biopsy. Histologic involvement of skin, duodenum, rectum, liver, and bone marrow was documented. Mastocytosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of malabsorption.