Ischemic gastropathy: leopard skin in the stomach

Ischemic gastropathy with "leopard skin" stomach

Ischemic gastropathy is a rare, underreported phenomenon that is associated with a poor prognosis. Patients often present with signs of shock, gastrointestinal bleeding, and anemia. We describe a patient with alcoholic cirrhosis who presented after a fall in hemorrhagic shock. Initial endoscopy revealed evidence of ongoing bleeding, with subsequent endoscopy revealing the "leopard skin" appearance in the stomach. The patient was treated supportively but eventually succumbed to his condition. Prompt diagnosis, treatment, and awareness of the delayed changes on upper endoscopy are imperative in diagnosing ischemic gastropathy. Patients with risk factors for the condition need to be given additional consideration for this diagnosis.

Ischemic Gastritis: A Multicenter Case Series of a Rare Clinical Entity and a Review of the Literature

GOALS

To report a case series of ischemic gastritis and discuss its etiology, management, and associated mortality according to our results and the published English literature.

BACKGROUND

Ischemic gastritis is rare, given the rich blood supply of the stomach. It has been reported in isolated case reports and small case series. Most cases are vascular in origin and associated with a high mortality.

STUDY

Pathology databases from 3 hospitals affiliated with the University of Minnesota Medical School were searched for cases of ischemic gastritis in the last 10 years. Patients' demographics, clinical course, and 1-month and 1-year mortalities were collected from electronic medical records.

RESULTS

A total of 12 patients were identified (age range, 32.1 to 83.2), the largest series reported to date. The presenting symptom was gastrointestinal bleeding (8), abdominal pain (2), nausea (1), and symptomatic anemia (1). The etiology included postinterventional radiology embolization (2), hemodynamic changes in the setting of celiac axis stenosis (2), vasculitis (1), systemic hypotension (1), and unknown (6). Treatment included steroid therapy, revascularization by interventional radiology, surgery, or supportive treatment. Thirty-day and 1-year mortalities were 33% and 41%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Ischemic gastritis is rare, but associated with a high mortality. Evaluation for treatable etiologies should be sought and corrected if present.

Pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of gastric ischemia

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Gastric ischemia is infrequently reported in the medical literature and under-recognized clinically and histopathologically. Various medical terms are used to describe gastric ischemia. We define and review the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of gastric ischemia.

METHODS

We describe 6 cases of gastric ischemia. We discuss features of the gastric vascular supply and review literature on this disorder.

RESULTS

Gastric ischemia results from diffuse or localized vascular insufficiency caused by etiologies such as systemic hypotension, vasculitis, or disseminated thromboembolism. The disorder is managed by fluid resuscitation, nasogastric tube placement (for intermittent air and fluid aspiration, to prevent or reduce gastric distention), aggressive acid reduction (via intravenous administration of proton pump inhibitors), and selective use of broad-spectrum antibiotics for patients with sepsis or gastric pneumatosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Gastric ischemia has a poor prognosis. Early diagnosis is required for appropriate patient management.

[Fulminant ischemic gastropathy: the final stage of a difficult-to-diagnose disease]

Ischemic gastropathy is highly infrequent in daily medical practice. In the last few years, the number of reported cases has increased. Although the guiding symptom is usually abdominal pain, the clinical spectrum of the disease is highly variable. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to change the natural history of the disease. We present the case of a 75-year-old man with chronic abdominal pain who developed a fulminant form of necrotizing gastric ischemia and died within less than 24h.