[Gastric and duodenal intramural hematoma: report of two cases]

Two cases of intramural hematoma arising in the duodenum and the stomach are reported. Both patients were male, aged 40 and 58 years, and suffered from chronic pancreatitis. Hematoma of the duodenal wall may have resulted from the acute exacerbation of the chronic pancreatitis in the first patient. As to the second case, continuous administration of Colfarit following myocardial infarction may have been causal to the gastric lesion. The initially suspected diagnosis in the first case, was pancreatic pseudocyst with obstruction of the duodenum while in the second case the gastric hematoma imitated a submucosus neoplastic process. The authors review clinical symptoms and therapeutic approaches of intramural hematomas of the proximal gastrointestinal tract. Literature data regarding etiology and therapy are presented.