[Multiple cavernous haemangiomas of the colon (author's transl)]

Extensive involvement of the colon with cavernous haemangioma is described in a 26-year old man. Clinically the disease manifests itself by recurrent rectal bleeding and abdominal distension, leading to his admission. Double contrast examination of the colon showed involvement of the ascending, transverse and descending colon, the sigmoid and the rectum. Arteriography demonstrated vascular tumours in the territory of the jejunal artery, the left colic artery and the superior rectal artery. This is a rare condition which has been described only 53 times in the literature (1, 3, 5, 7). The diagnostic value of double contrast examination of the colon and of selective angiography for differential diagnosis is stressed.