Hematochezia in a 1.5-Year-Old Child Diagnosed as a Colonic Arteriovenous Malformation

Vascular anomalies are an uncommon cause of gastrointestinal bleeding in childhood. These malformations may present with diverse symptoms, while gastrointestinal bleeding is the most common. Regarding diagnosis, these lesions may be detected by endoscopy, but only the mucosal component of them is assessable by this modality. Definitive diagnosis is best achieved by selective mesenteric angiography. We report a rare case of a 1.5-year-old child who presented with the complaint of hematochezia, which, after examination and evaluation, was found to be due to an intestinal arteriovenous malformation. Therapy of these malformations includes different modalities such as coagulation, embolization and surgical resections. Reviewing the literature, this is the first report in pediatric surgery literature of the laparoscopic approach for symptomatic high flow arteriovenous malformation, especially at this incredibly young age.