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

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A 40-year-old man with gastrointestinal bleeding was diagnosed with intestinal lymphangioma and secondary lymphangiectasia.
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The patient required over 20 units of packed red blood cells due to refractory hemorrhage despite preserved albumin levels.
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Small bowel transplantation was performed after conservative management failed, leading to pathology confirming extensive lymphangiectasia.
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The patient developed complications including empyema and multiorgan failure, ultimately leading to death 20 days post-transplant.
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Researchers emphasized the need for tissue diagnosis in cases of unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding, even without classic symptoms.

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