Angiodysplasia of the Colon

Angiodysplasia of the colon involves a pathology of intestinal blood vessels, characterized by fragile, permeable vessel walls. This condition causes bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract and anemia. Angiodysplasias most commonly appear in the cecum and ascending colon and can be either multiple or singular. It ranks as the second most common cause of gastrointestinal bleeding in elderly people. In most cases, bleeding stops on its own. The patient complains of painless bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract. Endoscopic methods usually stop the bleeding, but in severe cases, surgery may be necessary.

Source | Author Doctor Nikas Samuolis, reviewed by Prof. Virginijus Šapoka | Vilnius University | Faculty of Medicine | Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, and Oncology