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An unusual case of both upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding in a kidney transplant recipient
Author(s) -
Siu Y.P.,
Tong M.K.H.,
Kwok Y.L.,
Leung K.T.,
Kwan T.H.,
Lam C.S.,
Au T.C.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
transplant infectious disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.69
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1399-3062
pISSN - 1398-2273
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3062.2007.00286.x
Subject(s) - medicine , melena , exploratory laparotomy , gastroenterology , dialysis , azathioprine , lower gastrointestinal bleeding , surgery , transplantation , hematochezia , kidney transplantation , anemia , gastrointestinal bleeding , upper gastrointestinal bleeding , kidney , endoscopy , colonoscopy , disease , colorectal cancer , cancer
Background. Tuberculosis (TB) is an uncommon opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients. Extrapulmonary infection involving the intestine is rare and poses diagnostic difficulties. Case report. A 49‐year‐old man with IgA nephropathy underwent a kidney transplantation in 1996 and was put on cyclosporine, azathioprine, and steroid. He suffered from a recurrence of his primary kidney disease and had a gradual deterioration of renal function since 1998. By 2005, he presented with an unusual gastrointestinal (GI) symptom with alternating signs of upper GI bleeding – melena – as well as lower GI bleeding with fresh rectal bleeding, resulting in severe anemia with hemoglobin level down to 5.0 g/dL. At the same time, his renal function further deteriorated and necessitated the initiation of dialysis while he was maintained on low‐dose immunosuppressive drugs. Repeated upper and lower GI endoscopies were either unremarkable or revealed non‐specific lesions. Symptoms persisted and exploratory laparotomy finally showed a 1 cm submucosal mass at the proximal jejunum and multiple inflammatory lesions at the terminal ileum. Segmental resection of the lesions was performed and confirmed TB infection. However, despite the initiation of anti‐tuberculous treatment, the patient eventually died of complications. Conclusion. Diagnosing TB intestinal infection is a clinical challenge. A high index of suspicion in susceptible subjects is necessary, and early surgical intervention should always be considered when facing diagnostic uncertainties.