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Updated: Jun 22, 2026
Injection of Syngeneic Murine Melanoma Cells to Determine Their Metastatic Potential in the Lungs
Published on: May 24, 2016
Malignant melanoma metastasis as a cause of small-bowel perforation
Nikolaos Tsilimparis1, Charalampos Menenakos, Patrick Rogalla
1Klinik für Allgemein-, Visceral-, Gefäss- und Thoraxchirurgie, Charité Campus Mitte, Universitatsmedizin Berlin, Germany. nikolaos.tsilimparis@charite.de
Background:
Malignant melanoma is a disease with an increasing rate of incidence, currently at 10 cases per 100,000. In most cases, malignant melanoma metastasizes over the lymph vessels to parenchymal organs. Symptomatic metastases are found in the gastrointestinal tract in only about 2% of the patients.
Case Report:
A 43-year-old patient with a known metastasized malignant melanoma (brain, liver, bones) was admitted to the department of dermatology due to fatigue, headache and unspecified abdominal symptoms. Because of persistent abdominal symptoms, a computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen was performed, showing a perforation of the ileum with an abscess on the basis of multiple small-bowel metastases. A segmental small-bowel resection with primary anastomosis was performed. The postoperative course of the patient was complicated by a subcutaneous wound infection and a prolonged period of convalescence (due to multiple brain metastases).
Conclusions:
Novel therapy concepts and medication in the treatment of patients with malignant melanoma have improved life expectancy. These patients are therefore expected to suffer more frequently from complications of the primary disease. Interdisciplinary management and cooperation is required to adequately diagnose and handle such cases.
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