Gastric antral vascular ectasia and solitary rectal ulcer syndrome - Two rare diagnoses as the cause of anemia in a single patient: Case report

Abstract

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) and solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS) are both mentioned in the literature as rare causes of iron deficiency anemia and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. GAVE accounts for up to 4 % of upper nonvariceal GI bleeding; SRUS is a rare benign disorder that presents with rectal bleeding. We present the case of a 75yearold patient who was admitted to our facility with anemia. In the same patient, we encountered chronic bleeding from GAVE and SRUS. Both diagnoses were treated endoscopically: GAVE by argon plasma coagulation and a subsequent treatment with proton pump inhibitors and SRUS by adrenaline injection and clipping, consecutively treated with mesalazine enemas. The patient was successfully cured, resulting in a stable level of hemoglobin and no recurrent GI bleeding. We report a unique case of chronic GI bleeding caused by two uncommon diagnoses. The cooccurrence of GAVE and SRUS has not been previously described or published.