A case of the lower gastrointestinal bleeding due to Dieulafoy’s ulcer in the cecum

Gastrointestinal Dieulafoy’s ulcer is a rare disease of unknown etiology. Dieulafoy’s ulcer often presents in the stomach and is thought to cause about 5% of all gastrointestinal bleeds in adults, but can be found in any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Dieulafoy’s ulcer corresponds to an arterial malformation in the submucosal space and can cause life-threatening hemorrhage. We report a case of the lower gastrointestinal bleeding from a cecal Dieulafoy’s ulcer that was successfully treated with endoscopic clips. An 82-year-old woman had been diagnosed with hypertension and cerebral infarction. She had been using aspirin to prevent recurrent infarction. She was admitted to our hospital with hematochezia. Urgent colonoscopy revealed a small, reddish vascular malformation in the cecum. The lesion was suggestive of Dieulafoy’s ulcer and was treated with endoscopic clips. The patient has since been discharged from our hospital without experiencing any further bleeding. Endoscopy is a useful method for diagnosing and treating Dieulafoy’s ulcer.