Angiodysplasia Presenting with Multiple Polypoid Lesions: An Unusual Cause of Small Bowel Obstruction

Abstract

Angiodysplasia (AD), a morphologic vascular abnormality, is a common cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. We present a rare case of polypoid AD lesions. Three years after treatment for adhesive bowel obstruction, a 57-year-old man was admitted with recurrent abdominal distension, anorexia, and lower extremity edema. Computed tomography showed his dilated proximal and collapsed distal small bowel loops had disparate calibers. The transition point demonstrated mucosal enhancement and mesenteric lymphadenopathy. We observed small intestinal wall outpouching with strong mucosal enhancement and polypoid lesions dotting the dilated intestine. Intraoperative findings revealed a hard but elastic intraluminal nodule causing small bowel obstruction and the outpouching’s occurrence on the ileum’s antimesenteric border. We performed partial resection of the small intestine involving the nodule and Meckel’s diverticulum. Macroscopically, the nodule, diverticulum, and intestinal mucosa had polypoid lesions. Histopathologically, these lesions had foci within dilated thin- or thick-walled vascular channels in the submucosa, without specific histological abnormalities. These features led to a diagnosis of AD.