Duodenal angiolipoma. An extremely rare cause of upper GI haemorrhage

Abstract

Background-Aim: Gastrointestinal angiolipomas are rare benign lipomatous lesions first described by Bowen in 1912 and differentiated histologically by Howard in 1960. Duodenal angiolipomas represent a rare pathological condition that can lead to severe gastrointestinal bleeding; they may be treated successfully surgically and occasionally endoscopically. We report the 3rd case of duodenal angiolipoma to be reported in the literature between 1964 and 2010. Method: Databases from Pubmed and Medline were searched using a list of keywords such as angiolipomas, gastrointestinal bleeding, duodenal angiolipomas and references from review articles. Results: 21 reported cases of gastrointestinal angiolipomas have been reported, including 1 case of the oesophagus, 3 of the stomach, 2 of the duodenum, 7 of the small intestine, 2 of the caecum, 4 of the large intestine and 2 cases of the rectum. Conclusion: It is important to include the presence of angiolipomas in the differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding. These benign lesions may lead to severe bleeding. Careful evaluation and preoperative work up of the patient will determine the treatment of choice and reduce postoperative complications.