Hormonal Treatment of Intestinal Cavernous Hemangioma Report of 2 cases

ABSTRACT

Cavernous hemangioma in the gastrointestinal tract is a rare benign vascular lesion, which can produce massive or persistent blood loss. Herein, we present two cases of gastrointestinal hemangiomas that could not be resected completely and were treated with estrogen because of multiple involvement of the gastrointestinal tract and viscera, including the anal canal. A 49-year-old male presented with unknown chronic melena and anemia. Preoperative work-up could not reveal the definite cause of bleeding. During exploration, hemangioma scattered in whole small bowel was identified and feeding vessel ligation was performed. Postoperative recurrent bleedings were controlled by additional estrogen therapy. A 25-year-old young woman had suffered from painless anal bleeding with subsequent anemia since her youth. She had diffuse carvernous hemangioma in the large intestine involving the anal canal and uterus. Total proctocolectomy and ileal-pouch anal anastomosis was performed, however the uterine hemangioma was left intact because the patient wanted to be pregnant. She was also treated with estrogen, postoperatively. It is suggested that estrogen may be a good alternative treatment modality for gastrointestinal hemangioma that can not be removed completely.