Electronic Clinical Challenges and Images in GI
A Very Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding
Carlo M. Girelli, Barbara Nardo, and Giordano Bernasconi
Department of Internal Medicine, Service of Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy, Hospital of Busto Arsizio, Busto Arsizio, Italy
Question: A 62-year-old man was referred to our unit for
intermittent obscure– overt gastrointestinal bleeding for 2
months requiring up to 3 units of packed red blood cells weekly.
His clinical history was noteworthy for urgent right hemicolec-
tomy owing to right-sided colonic diverticulitis 8 years before
this admission. Upper and lower endoscopy and angiography
were negative. On admission, he presented with melena; he was
hemodynamically stable and his hemoglobin level was 68 g/L.
After red blood cell replacement, he underwent small bowel
capsule endoscopy disclosing a tiny, round, bulls-eye shaped
mucosal break, located in the mid small bowel (52% of the time
elapsed from the pylorus; Figure A, arrows).
What is the diagnosis?
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Conflicts of interest: The authors disclose no conflicts.
© 2012 by the AGA Institute
0016-5085/$36.00
doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2011.09.007
GASTROENTEROLOGY 2012;142:e3– e4