Esophageal visible vessel as a cause of massive upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage

Besides peptic ulcers, erosions, esophageal varices, tumors and non-variceal esophageal lesions, vascular abnormalities lead to an upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in 1-5% of cases. Among 581 emergency esophagogastro-duodenoscopies for acute gastrointestinal bleeding performed in our institution between 1987 and 1989, an esophageal visible vessel was found to be the source of massive hemorrhage in five patients. All patients were males with ages ranging from 37 to 84 years. Esophageal visible vessel was localized in one patient in the middle third and in four patients in the distal portion of the esophagus. Using the Forrest classification, endoscopy revealed an oozing hemorrhage (Ib) in two patients and a protruding vessel (IIa) in three patients. Definitive hemostasis could be achieved in all patients by local injection of adrenaline combined with heater probe thermocoagulation. In some patients with recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding, visible esophageal vessel is a rare source of bleeding that has not yet been described.