Intramural Duodenal Haematoma after Endoscopic Biopsy: Case Report and Review of the Literature

The development of intramural duodenal haematoma (IDH) after small bowel biopsy is an unusual lesion and has only been reported in 18 children. Coagulopathy, thrombocytopenia and some special features of duodenal anatomy, e.g. relatively fixed position in the retroperitoneum and numerous submucosal blood vessels, have been suggested as a cause for IDH. The typical clinical presentation of IDH is severe abdominal pain and vomiting due to duodenal obstruction. In addition, it is often associated with pancreatitis and cholestasis. Diagnosis is confirmed using imaging techniques such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography and upper intestinal series. Once diagnosis is confirmed and intestinal perforation excluded, conservative treatment with nasogastric tube and parenteral nutrition is sufficient. We present a case of massive IDH following endoscopic grasp forceps biopsy in a 5-year-old girl without bleeding disorder or other risk for IDH, which caused duodenal obstruction and mild pancreatitis and resolved within 2 weeks of conservative management. Since duodenal biopsies have become the common way to evaluate children or adults for suspected enteropathy, the occurrence of this complication is likely to increase. In conclusion, the review of the literature points out the risk for IDH especially in children with a history of bone marrow transplantation or leukaemia.