Abstract
This paper describes a rare case of small leiomyosarcoma, with a diameter of less than 4 cm, of the jejunum, which was found in a patient undergoing examination for anemia who had no abdominal symptoms.
A 58-year-old woman was seen at the hospital because of general fatigue. She presented with moderate anemia. No abnormality was found in the stomach, duodenum and large intestine. However, angiographic findings revealed a tumor stain of walnut size in the branches of upper jejunal artery. The patient was diagnosed as having a jejunal tumor, and underwent laparotomy. Extra and intra luminally growing type of tumor, 4.0×2.5×2.5 cm in size, was found at 70 cm from the Treitz's ligament, and was removed by partial resection of the jeujunm. The postoperative course was uneventful and the anemic state was improved for better.
Generally, the prognosis of this disease is poor, and only effective therapy is the early resection. Therefore, aggressive examination of the small intestine must be performed for patients who show anemia and positive occult blood in stool and have no cause in the stomach, duodenum and large intestine. In this case, angiography is useful in the diagnosis of both existence and quality.
