A rare cause of lower gastrointestinal bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Leiomyoma of the colon are rare benign smooth muscle tumours. AIM: Report a new case of colic leiomyoma revealed by gastrointestinal bleeding. CASE: A 71-year-old man, diabetic, consulted the emergencies for acute per-rectal bleeding. The physical examination was essentially normal. Haemoglobin level was 3.7 g/dl.. The upper digestive endoscopy was normal. The colonoscopy showed an active bleeding from the right colon but it was enable to specify the nature and the exact seat of the bleeding lesion. An emergent operation showed a tumor of the right colic angle of 8 cm. A right hemicolectomy was performed with immediate ileocolic anastomosis. Pathology showed a leiomyoma. Postoperative course mentioned a nosocomial pneumopathy.
CONCLUSION: Colic leiomyomas are rare benign tumours. The determination of the mitotic index is of primary importance to differentiate them from the leiomyosarcomas of low rank of malignancy whose prognosis is unfavourable.