Massive bleeding from colonic diverticular disease in an elderly Nigerian: A case report

Abstract

Colonic diverticular disease is one of the most common and costly gastrointestinal disorders among industrialized countries. The disease was thought to be rare in the African population, but is being increasingly diagnosed with the advent of modern imaging techniques and colonoscopy. Diverticular bleeding is a common cause of lower gastrointestinal (GI) haemorrhage and patients typically present with massive and painless rectal haemorrhage. Reports of massive bleeding from colonic diverticular disease are rare in Nigeria. We report a case of massive bleeding from multiple colonic diverticuli in a 70 year old Nigerian male who was admitted due to haematochezia and dizziness and was transfused with 8 units of blood. There was spontaneous resolution of bleeding in spite of the absence of facilities for therapeutic intervention at our institution.

Keywords: Colonic diverticular disease, colonoscopy, haematochezia, massive bleeding, gastrointestinal disorders