Surgery>>>>>Stomach
Question 17#

Watermelon stomach is best treated by:

A. Acid-reducing agents
B. Beta blockers
C. Antrectomy
D. Total gastrectomy

Correct Answer is C

Comment:

The parallel red stripes atop the mucosal folds of the distal stomach give this rare entity its name. Histologically, gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is characterized by dilated mucosal blood vessels that often contain thrombi, in the lamina propria. Mucosal fibromuscular hyperplasia and hyalinization often are present (Fig. below). The histologic appearance can resemble portal hypertensive gastropathy, but the latter usually affects the proximal stomach, whereas watermelon stomach predominantly affects the distal stomach. Beta blockers and nitrates, useful in the treatment of portal hypertensive gastropathy, are ineffective in patients with gastric antral vascular ectasia. Patients with GAVE are usually elderly women with chronic GI blood loss requiring transfusion. Most have an associated autoimmune connective tissue disorder, and at least 25% have chronic liver disease. Nonsurgical treatment options include estrogen and progesterone, and endoscopic treatment with the neodymium yttriumaluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser or argon plasma coagulator. Antrectomy may be required to control blood loss, and this operation is quite effective but carries increased morbidity in this elderly patient group. Patients with portal hypertension and antral vascular ectasia should be considered for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPSS).

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (watermelon stomach):