PEDIATRIC RECTAL DIEULAFOYS LESION

Dieulafoy's lesions are an unusual cause of gastrointestinal hemorrhag e. The overwhelming majority of lesions are found in the upper gastroi ntestinal tract, particularly along the lesser curvature of the stomac h in the region supplied by the left gastric artery. Rectal Dieulafoy' s lesions have never before been reported in the pediatric population, and our case represents only the third reported occurrence of a recta l Dieulafoy's lesion in the English medical literature, Successful tre atment was administered, i.e., the combination of sclerotherapy follow ed by thermocoagulation. We therefore recommend that rectal Dieulafoy' s lesion be included in the differential diagnosis of children with se vere rectal bleeding and that management follow the same principles us ed to treat upper gastrointestinal tract Dieulafoy's lesions: injectio n therapy followed by heater probe coagulation.