Gastrointestinal angiodysplasia and bleeding in von Willebrand disease

M Franchini, P M Mannucci1

  • 1Pier Mannuccio Mannucci, MD, Scientific Direction, IRCCS Cà Granda Foundation Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, Via Pace 9, 20122 Milan, Italy, Tel.: + 39 02 55038377, Fax: + 39 02 50320723,

Von Willebrand disease (VWD), the most common genetic bleeding disorder, is characterised by a quantitative or qualitative defect of von Willebrand factor (VWF). Patients with VWD suffer from mucocutaneous bleeding, of severity usually proportional to the degree of VWF defect. In particular, gastrointestinal bleeding associated with angiodysplasia is often a severe symptom of difficult management. This review focuses on the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of VWD-associated gastrointestinal angiodysplasia and related bleeding.

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