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Angiodysplasia of the colon - Symptom

Alternative Names

Vascular ectasia of the colon; Colonic arteriovenous malformation

Symptoms:

The symptoms vary. Often, in elderly patients, the symptoms are weakness, fatigue, and shortness of breath due to anemia. There may not be any signs of bleeding directly from the colon. Others may have occasional mild or severe bleeding episodes with bright red blood coming from the rectum.

There is no pain associated with angiodysplasia.

Signs and tests:

Tests that may be done to diagnose this condition include:

Angiography (only useful if there is active bleeding into the colon)
Complete blood count (CBC) to check for anemia
Colonoscopy
Stool test for occult (hidden) blood (a positive test result suggests bleeding from the colon)

Digestive system organs

Reviewed last on: 2/2/2011
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Hauser S. Vascular diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D. Cecil Textbook of Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 146.

Brandt LJ, Landis CS. Vascular lesions of the gastrointestinal tract. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2010:chap 36.

Anemia

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