A Rare Case of Rectal Bleeding due to Kasabach-Merritt Syndrome
Kasabach-Merritt syndrome (KMS) is a rare, life-threatening coagulopathy associated with kaposiform hemangioendothelioma and tufted angioma, typically seen in infants and rarely in adults. It is thought to result from platelet and coagulation factor sequestration within vascular lesions, leading to severe bleeding. We report a case of a 70-year-old woman with KMS presenting with rectal bleeding. Despite limited access to desmopressin, which had effectively controlled her symptoms, she experienced recurrent bleeding and ultimately succumbed to gastrointestinal hemorrhage. This case underscores the challenges of managing KMS in adults and highlights the importance of multidisciplinary coordination and consistent follow-up.
Authors
- Leen Hasan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3852-8591)
- Koushalya Sachdev
- Steven M. Cohn
- Edward Butt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6087-4848)
- Raakhi Menon
Institutions
- The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (US)
- The University of Texas at Austin (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- ACG Case Reports Journal
- Published
- 2026-02-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.14309/crj.0000000000002017
- Primary Topic
- Vascular Malformations and Hemangiomas
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00