2014 Volume 34 Issue 5 Pages 941-947
Acute hemorrhagic rectal ulcer (AHRU) patients have been increasing concomitantly with the aging society. The aims of this study were to evaluate the clinical and endoscopic characteristics of patients with AHRU. This retrospective study involved 18 patients with AHRU diagnosed with urgent endoscopy in our department from January 2009 to August 2012. The subjects consisted of 8 men and 10 women with an average age of 80.7 yr. Most of these patients were elderly and bedridden with comorbidities, such as chronic renal failure, diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis obliterans, or cerebrovascular diseases. The ulcers were characterized as irregular-shaped lesions located around the dentate line. Endoscopic hemoclipping was performed in 10 cases where the vessel was exposed and hemostasis was successful in all cases. Rebleeding was not seen in any patient. In the treatment of AHRU, it is important to obtain an endoscopic diagnosis as soon as possible and to perform endoscopic hemoclipping in the cases with an exposed vessel.
