RECURRENT SMALL-INTESTINAL BLEEDING IN A PATIENT WITH NEUROFIBROMATOSIS TYPE-1 [NF-1]

Patients with NF-1 may exhibit visceral neurofibromas, Schwannomas and other tumors of ectodermal origin beside the classical cutaneous and neuronal manifestations of neurofibromatosis. In a 46-year-old woman w ith a previous diagnosis of NF-1 and a history of recurrent intestinal bleeding of obscure origin a well vascularized tumor in a branch of t he A. mesenterica superior was found by use of scintigraphy and angiog raphy. Intraoperatively two inhomogeneons tumors were found in the pro ximal jejunum. Histologically these tumors were classified as neurofib romas. After partial resection of the jejunum no further intestinal bl eeding occured in this patient. Therefore the intestinal neurofibromas were presumably the source of the recurrent bleeding.