Effect of therapy on bleeding rates in gastrointestinal angiodysplasia

Sixteen patients with gastrointestinal angiodysplasia requiring transfusion were treated with surgical resection, endoscopic electrocautery, or transfusion alone. Pre- and post-therapy transfusion requirements in each group were compared to gauge the efficacy of each therapy. No superiority of any treatment could be shown statistically. The majority of patients had multiple angiodysplastic lesions throughout the gastrointestinal tract, and, accordingly, complete resolution of bleeding after therapy occurred in fewer than one-half of the patients.