Colonic angiodysplasia

Colonic angiodysplasia is a collective term for a group of colonic vascular malformation lesions, composed of benign, non-neoplastic dilated vascular plexuses. It is also known as colonic angiodysplasia, colonic vascular ectasia, and colonic arteriovenous malformation. In 1960, Margulis first confirmed the existence of colonic angiodysplasia through mesenteric angiography, and subsequent reports have gradually increased. In recent years, it has been found that this disease is one of the main causes of lower gastrointestinal bleeding, especially in elderly patients, accounting for approximately 4% of all causes of lower gastrointestinal bleeding. With the widespread use of fiberoptic colonoscopy, reports of colonic angiodysplasia in patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension have become increasingly numerous. Chen et al. reported that approximately 50% of patients with portal hypertension have concomitant colonic angiodysplasia.