Watermelon stomach: not only an antral disease

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Gastric Point of Care Ultrasound in Adults: Image Acquisition and Interpretation
05:50

Gastric Point of Care Ultrasound in Adults: Image Acquisition and Interpretation

Published on: September 22, 2023

Per-Ove Stotzer1, Roger Willén, Anders F Kilander

  • 1Institute of Internal Medicine and Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Pathology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg University, Sweden.

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
|May 25, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) can affect the gastric cardia. This study found ectatic lesions in the cardia are common in GAVE patients, suggesting further investigation is needed.

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Endoscopy
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is a recognized cause of gastrointestinal bleeding.
  • Limited data exists on ectatic lesions in the gastric cardia, distinct from the antrum.
  • This study investigates the prevalence of cardia lesions in GAVE patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the frequency of ectatic lesions in the gastric cardia of patients diagnosed with GAVE.
  • To identify potential associations between GAVE, cardia lesions, and comorbid conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 17 patients diagnosed with GAVE between 1990 and 2000.
  • Systematic examination for ectatic changes in the gastric cardia, particularly after 1996.
  • Identification of concurrent medical conditions.

Main Results:

  • Ectatic lesions in the gastric cardia were observed in several GAVE patients.
  • The prevalence of cardia lesions increased after systematic examination was implemented (5 of 8 patients post-1996 vs. 2 of 9 pre-1996).
  • Commonly associated conditions included liver disease (n=5) and heart disease (n=4).

Conclusions:

  • Ectatic lesions in the gastric cardia are a frequent finding in patients with GAVE.
  • The clinical significance of these cardia lesions warrants further research.
Abstract

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