Dieulafoy lesions: One patient, two different localizations

Abstract

Dieulafoy lesions (DLs) are dilated submucosal arterial structures visualized on endoscopy as bleeding foci on the superficial mucosa without erosion or ulceration. DLs account for 1–5.8% of acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding cases.A 72-year-old male patient with known Alzheimer’s disease and coronary artery disease, being followed up at a nursing home, presented to our emergency department with foul-smelling, loose, and tarry stool. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a 3 mm DL immediately adjacent to the Z line in the distal esophagus, demonstrating a fresh blood clot without the appearance of a surrounding ulcer.Two endoscopic hemo- clips were applied to this lesion.The patient was monitored at the intensive care unit for the following 2 days and later transferred to internal medicine inpatient unit. He developed hematochezia on the 8th day of hospitalization. Emergent rectosigmoidoscopy was per- formed showing two separate 3 and 4 mm sized DLs, located immediately proximal to the dentate line.These lesions were successfully treated using two endoscopic band ligations. DLs can occur synchronously, albeit very rarely, and a careful search for multiple lesions is necessary to avoid further bleeding.