Massive gastrointestinal bleeding from colonic varices in a patient with portal hypertension.

Colonic variceal bleeding is a rarity and is most commonly due to portal hypertension. The present report describes a patient with portal hypertension due to portal vein thrombosis who, following esophageal transection and successful sclerotherapy, developed a massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding from colonic varices. The literature is reviewed, and the pathophysiology of this complication is discussed. Possible etiologies of this condition may be esophageal transection and devascularization, successful sclerotherapy, and extensive thrombosis of the portal vein resulting in obliteration of the coronary-azygous anastomotic system. In such a situation other potential sites of portosystemic anastomoses, such as the colon, may be opened up, resulting in the development of colonic varices. Indeed, the incidence of colonic varices in two series after sclerotherapy for esophageal varices was 60-100%. Of 33 candidates evaluated for liver transplantation, colonic varices were found in 1.