Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding caused by small intestinal lipoma: a case report

BACKGROUND: Small intestinal lipomas are rare, usually asymptomatic, and most commonly encountered incidentally during investigation of the gastrointestinal tract for another reason. However, they may cause obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding due to a small intestinal lipoma. A 69-year-old Japanese man on antiplatelet therapy presented to our department with tarry stools and anemic symptoms. A small intestinal tumor was detected by capsule endoscopy and double-balloon endoscopy. After laparoscopic resection, the tumor was confirmed to be a lipoma. CONCLUSIONS: Small intestinal lipomas are difficult to detect by conventional modalities, but capsule endoscopy and double-balloon endoscopy are good modalities for the diagnosis of small intestinal lipomas. Treatment of small intestinal lipomas should be selected carefully, considering the tumor size, size of stalk, administration of antithrombotic therapy, and endoscopic operability.