Late gastrointestinal bleeding and protein loss after distal small-bowel resection in infancy.

Four children who underwent extensive small-bowel resection in infancy developed recurrent iron deficiency anemia due to gastrointestinal bleeding between 4 and 12 years later. The initial resections were required for multiple ileal atresia (n = 2) and gastroschisis (n = 2). Three patients have had melena and one had persistently guaiac-positive stools. Three patients had protein-losing enteropathy, and in one there was persistent hypoalbuminemia. Colonoscopy identified circumferential ulcerative lesions at the surgical anastomosis (n = 2) and at laparotomy another patient had well-defined linear ulcers close to the surgical anastomosis. Histology demonstrated focal ulceration with chronic inflammation, but did not show granulomata, crypt abscesses, or malignancy. Multiple imaging procedures and gastroduodenoscopy failed to identify an alternative bleeding source. Medical therapy including iron, antacids, sucralfate, H2 antagonists, and cholestyramine was ineffective. Two patients have undergone anastomotic resection. One experienced symptomatic recurrence 4 months after surgery. Repeat colonoscopy found ulceration at the new anastomosis with similar histology. The other patient remains asymptomatic 7 months postsurgery. Recurrent gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to anastomotic ulceration, of unknown etiology, appears to be a late complication of small-bowel resection in infancy.