Bowel perforation due to gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumour associated with neurofibromatosis type 1

Gastrointestinal autonomic nerve (GAN) tumours form a distinct subcategory of gastrointestinal stromal tumours, and are thought to originate from the enteric autonomic plexus. To date, a total of 45 cases have been documented in the literature; a few of these cases were associated with neurofibromat osis type 1 (NF-1). Bowel perforation due to other gastrointestinal stromal tumours has been reported only twice, but never in association with a GAN tumour. We describe a 40-year-old woman with NF-1 who had bowel perforation due to a GAN tumour. The patient underwent radical surgical resection and remained tumour free for at least 4 years, which may indicate a good progno sis. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 13:1265-1268 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.