A case report of delayed intra-abdominal and intra-luminal haemorrhage after polypectomy

We report the case of a 70-year-old man who presented with hematochezia, anaemia, and severe abdominal pain 6 days after polypectomy. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound and computed tomography revealed no signs of free intra-abdominal air but showed intra-abdominal and intra-luminal bleeding. The patient was referred to colonoscopy in the operation room, which showed a coagula and venous bleeding at the polypectomy site. Emergency laparotomy was performed and revealed a large intra-abdominal mesocolic hematoma, which was surgically removed. The patient’s post-operative recovery was uneventful. While few reports of splenic vessel rupture after colonoscopy due to traction on the splenocolic ligament have been published, delayed mesocolic hematoma without evidence of organ damage has not been reported so far. Clinicians need to be aware of these rare but life-threatening complications following colonoscopy.