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Published on: October 29, 2014

Crohn's disease presenting as life-threatening ileal bleeding

C Tysk1, J De Keersmaecker, H Al-Been

  • 1Department of Gastroenterology, Orebro Medical Center Hospital, S-701 85 Orebro, Sweden. curt.tysk@orebroll.se

Saudi Medical Journal
|May 23, 2001
PubMed

Insights

A severe case of Crohn's disease in a Saudi male presented with life-threatening ileal bleeding, requiring surgery. Successful treatment involved surgical resection and ongoing medical management with mesalamine and vitamin B12.

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Surgical Pathology

Background:

  • Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
  • Ileal bleeding can be a severe manifestation requiring surgical intervention.

Observation:

  • A 32-year-old Saudi male presented with severe, life-threatening ileal bleeding due to Crohn's disease.
  • Urgent laparotomy was performed, resecting 100 cm of the ileum and ascending colon.

Findings:

  • Histopathology confirmed Crohn's disease with chronic, transmural inflammation and non-caseating granuloma.
  • Ziehl-Neelsen staining was negative, ruling out mycobacterial infection.
  • The patient experienced an uneventful postoperative recovery.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the potential severity of Crohn's disease and the necessity of prompt surgical intervention for intractable bleeding.
  • Effective long-term management includes medical therapy with mesalamine and vitamin B12 supplementation.

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