Histopathological characterization of a Cameron lesion

Cameron lesions are linear erosions located at the neck of a hiatal hernia (HH) in patients with a large HH. The prevalence has been seen in up to 5% of patients with HH who undergo esophagogastroduodenoscopy, and they can be associated with overt gastrointestinal bleeding or anemia. These lesions occur due to vascular compression by the diaphragm in a large sliding HH. Histopathologic changes seen in the biopsy tissue of a Cameron lesion are due to ischemia, but this ischemia is reversible with treatment of HH. The existence of this entity and the histopathologic picture of a Cameron lesion is not well known to pathologists, and therefore, a microscopic picture of a Cameron lesion can be easily confused with ischemic gastritis. Ischemic gastritis is the result of atherosclerosis, usually seen in older people, unrelated to HH, and is not easily reversible. The authors received a gastric biopsy of a hiatal hernia without any associated clinical diagnosis of a Cameron lesion conveyed to the pathologist. This biopsy tissue showed ischemic changes in the gastric mucosa on microscopic examination. Diagnosis of ischemic gastritis was considered but ruled out after the case was discussed with the gastroenterologist. The correct diagnosis was made once the clinical diagnosis of HH with Cameron lesion (ie, a vertical red erosion) was made known to the pathologist. By reporting this case, the authors aim to increase awareness of Cameron lesion among pathologists so that they ask about the presence of a Cameron lesion before making the diagnosis of ischemic gastritis.