[Surgical treatment of hemorrhagic gastritis]

The authors report a review of the literature concerning an observation of rebleeding hemorrhagic gastritis which needed a total hemostasis gastrectomy. 479 interventions are analysed, with all surgical procedures combined. The surgical mortality is 28% and rebleeding reaches 30%. These figures express the evolutive gravity and the difficulty in choosing a treatment for hemorrhagic gastritis. Numerous techniques exist with varying results: the simple gastrotomy with ligations gives 58% rebleeding and 50% mortality. The subtotal Gastrectomy presents a non perfect control of hemorrhage (48% rebleeding, 30% mortality). Among the conservative procedures the choice can be either truncular-vagotomy-pyloroplasty (28% rebleeding, 24% mortality) or vagotomy-resection (18% rebleeding, 34% mortality). All these methods are not perfect and present a rebleeding risk. Only the total gastrectomy provides a definitive cure when the patient can resist the operation. Total gastrectomy was previously considered to be impossible during hemorrhage. However it represents the only way to save patients who continue to bleed following conservative surgery. Total gastrectomy represents a logical technique and should be reconsidered as a second procedure. As first procedure total gastrectomy is debatable. If systematic, it could lead to abusive intervention. If refused, there is a risk of mortal bleeding. Where elderly patients are involved the decision seems to be clear due to the risks of multiple transfusions or second interventions.