Arterial malformation of stomach: a cause of massive bleeding

Fatal gastrointestinal bleeding is rarely caused by a ruptured abnormal intramural gastric artery, and in such cases the nature of the abnormality in the ruptured artery has not been clearly defined. In this report, a case of fatal haemorrhage from a ruptured artery in the stomach of a 34-yr-old male is presented. The arterial lesion was demonstrated and appeared similar to the berry aneurysms of the Circle of Willis--which are probably the result of developmental defects in the media of the arterial wall. Phlebosclerosis due to portal hypertension was a coincidental finding. Previously reported cases are considered and compared with the present case.