Rare GI disease leads to 20-plus units of transfused blood - Summary - MDSpire
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Rare GI disease leads to 20-plus units of transfused blood

A rare intestinal lymphangioma caused life-threatening bleeding without typical laboratory features of protein-losing enteropathy

  • By

  • Teraya Smith

  • October 5, 2026

  • 2 min

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Objective:

To report a case of intestinal lymphangioma with secondary lymphangiectasia presenting with gastrointestinal bleeding.

Approach:
  • Patient Presentation: A 40-year-old man presented with gastrointestinal bleeding, iron-deficiency anemia, and abdominal pain.
  • Diagnostic Imaging: CT scan revealed hypodense mesenteric lymphadenopathy, raising concerns for a lymphoproliferative disorder.
  • Endoscopic Findings: Double-balloon enteroscopy showed diffuse jejunal infiltration; scintigraphy localized active bleeding.
  • Pathological Diagnosis: Endoscopic biopsy indicated a vascular-rich lesion, confirming lymphangioma with secondary lymphangiectasia.
  • Surgical Intervention: Due to persistent bleeding and failure of conservative management, the patient underwent small bowel transplantation.
Key Findings:
  • The patient required more than 20 units of packed red blood cells due to refractory hemorrhage.
  • The patient had preserved albumin levels and no lymphopenia, differing from typical cases.
  • Pathology revealed lymphangiectasia in multiple intestinal regions and reactive follicular hyperplasia in mesenteric lymph nodes.
Limitations:
  • The case is singular and may not represent the broader population of patients with intestinal lymphangiectasia.
  • The patient experienced significant postoperative complications.
Conclusion:

The authors highlight the importance of tissue diagnosis in cases where imaging suggests lymphoproliferative disease.

Sources:

Original Source(s)

Rare GI disease leads to 20-plus units of transfused blood

  • by Teraya Smith

  • October 5, 2026

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