Angiodysplasia of the colon
Alternate Names : Vascular ectasia of the colon, Colonic arteriovenous malformation, Colonic angiomas
Symptoms & Signs
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. Some patients may have dark or black, tarry stools. There is no pain associated with angiodysplasia.
Diagnosis & 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 guaiac test (a positive test result suggests bleeding from the colon)
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