Intramural hematoma of the ascending colon leading to intraperitoneal hemorrhage: a possible post-polypectomy complication

Evangelos Voudoukis; Konstantinos G Spiridakis; Konstantinos Karmiris; Georgios Georgiou; Nikolaos Kontopodis; Konstantinos Konstantinidis; Konstantinos Psilakis; Odysseas Miliadis; Georgios Tribonias; Gregorios A. Paspatis

Authors Evangelos Voudoukis, Konstantinos G Spiridakis, Konstantinos Karmiris, Georgios Georgiou, Nikolaos Kontopodis, Konstantinos Konstantinidis, Konstantinos Psilakis, Odysseas Miliadis, Georgios Tribonias, Gregorios A. Paspatis.

Abstract

A 61-year-old male on anticoagulant therapy underwent an endoscopic multiple colon
polypectomy in our Department according to established procedures. Several days later he
developed an intramural colonic hematoma, which burst into the peritoneal cavity leading to
fatal intra-peritoneal hemorrhage. Herein we present the case and discuss the causative role
of the anticoagulant therapy but also of the endoscopic procedure per se.

Keywords colonoscopy, intramural colonic hematoma, intra-peritoneal hemorrhage

Ann Gastroenterol 2012; 25 (2): 265-267