Massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding as a presenting feature of Behcet's disease.

ABSTRACT

This reports a 27 yr old female Patient with seronegative polyarthritis who presented with lower GI bleeding and subsequently developed evidence of cutaneous vasculitis (palpable purpura) and orogenital ulcers. The cause of the GI bleeding was multiple ulcerations in the terminal ileum, cecum ascending colon and transverse colon. Continued and massive bleeding necessitated surgical resection of the involved segment of gut which on histopathological examination confirmed the presence of vasculities. This patient was thus diagnosed as having Behcet's disease. Although major GI bleeding is a rare manifestation of Behcet's disease with vasculitis of the gut, one must consider this possibility if the patient has multi-system involvement with evidence of vasculitis involving the skin in the form of palpable purpura.