Small intestinal hemolymphangioma treated with enteroscopic injection sclerotherapy: A case report and review of literature.

Background: Hemolymphangiomas are rare malformations composed of both lymphatic and vascular vessels and are located in the pancreas, spleen, mediastinum, etc . Small intestinal hemolymphangioma is extremely rare and often presents as obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. It is rarely diagnosed correctly before the operation. Endoscopic injection sclerotherapy is usually used as a management of bleeding in esophageal varices and was occasionally reported as a treatment of vascular malformation. The treatment of small intestinal hemolymphangioma with enteroscopic injection sclerotherapy has not been reported.
Case Summary: A 42-year-old male complained of recurrent episodes of melena and dizziness, fatigue and reduced exercise capacity for more than 2 mo. Gastroduodenoscopy and blood test revealed a gastric ulcer and anemia. Treatment with oral proton-pump inhibitors and iron did not improve symptoms. We then performed a capsule endoscopy and anterograde balloon-assisted enteroscopy and revealed a hemolymphangioma. Considering it is a benign tumor without malignant potential, we performed enteroscopic injection sclerotherapy. He was discharged 4 days later. At follow-up 3 mo later, the melena disappeared. Balloon-assisted enteroscopy revealed an atrophied tumor atrophied and no bleeding. Argon plasma coagulation was applied to the surface of the hemolymphangioma to accelerated healing. When he returned for follow-up 1 year later, anemia was resolved and the tumor had been cured.
Conclusion: Balloon-assisted enteroscopy and capsule endoscopy are effective methods for diagnosis of hemolymphangioma. Enteroscopic injection sclerotherapy is an effective treatment.
Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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