Surgical treatment of gastrointestinal hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia

A 48-year-old man with a history of gastrointestinal bleeding from Osler-Weber-Rendu disease presented with recurrent hematemesis and tarry stool. He received repeated endoscopic therapy, but profound component therapy was still needed. Because repeated gastrointestinal bleeding was caused by same bleeder, tattoo-assisted laparoscopic gastric wedge resection was carried out.

The pathology showed vascular abnormalities that involved gastric mucosal and submucosal layers. After surgery, the blood transfusion for the patient is not seen.

Osler-Weber-Rendu is a hereditary disease characterized by vascular abnormalities of the nose, skin, lung, brain, and gastrointestinal tract. Management of gastrointestinal bleeding requires medical treatment first, and there are rare reports of surgical treatment. Our pathology findings showed a transmucosal vessel lesion, which had poor response to endoscopic treatment. Surgical intervention may be considered in the patient with gastrointestinal bleeding refractory to endoscopic therapy.