A 54-year old anorectic patient with painful bruising syndrome (Gardner-Dia
mond syndrome) suffered from various gastrointestinal and psychologic compl
aints. The episodes of painful bruising could be provoked following intrade
rmal injection of washed red blood cells within 96 h. The pathogenesis of t
his rare entity is more likely due to a psychiatric alteration rather than
to the immunological mechanisms, as had been postulated two decades ago. Ne
vertheless, the Gardner-Diamond-syndrome should be included in the differen
tial diagnosis of ecchymotic bleeding.