Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome: Report of a case

Abstract

A 33-year-old female, who had suffered from severe iron-deficiency anemia and underwent blood transfusion at the age of 18 and 24, was indicated as positive by the occult focal blood test. Colonofiberscopy revealed hemangiomas. There were hemangiomas in the skin and the oral mucosa, and small bowel enema revealed sessile polypoid lesions. Surgery was performed to resect intestinal hemangiomas which caused severe anemia. There were 27 hemangiomas in the small intestine, 7 in the large intestine and 3 in the liver. All hemangiomas of the large intestine were resected and hemangiomas of the small intestine which were more than 1.0cm in diameter were resected and blood flow of others was stopped by z-suture. After surgery anemia was cured and no hemangioma has been found in three years. Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome is defined as the disease which is characterized by hemangiomas of skin and gastrointestinal tract cause serious bleeding. 67 cases of the blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome have beening reported in Japan.