Gastrointestinal amyloidosis presenting with multiple episodes of gastrointestinal bleeding

Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. 2009 May;32(3):577-80. doi: 10.1007/s00270-008-9429-y. Epub 2008 Sep 17.

Abstract

Amyloidosis is characterized by the extracellular deposition of amyloid protein in various organs. Gastrointestinal involvement in amyloidosis is common, but a diagnosis of amyloidosis is often delayed. Severe gastrointestinal hemorrhage in amyloidosis is rare but can be fatal in some cases. We experienced a case of a 49-year-old man who presented with recurrent massive hematochezia. Although embolization was performed eight times for bleeding from different sites of the small intestine, hematochezia did not cease. We report the case, with a review of the literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Amyloidosis / complications
  • Amyloidosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Amyloidosis / surgery*
  • Angiography
  • Contrast Media
  • Embolization, Therapeutic
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / complications
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / surgery*
  • Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / diagnostic imaging
  • Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / etiology
  • Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Contrast Media