GAVE (Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia), also known as “Watermelon Stomach”, is a
condition in which the blood vessels in the lining of the stomach become fragile and become prone to rupture and bleeding
. The stomach lining exhibits the characteristic stripes of a watermelon when viewed by endoscopy.
Can GAVE be cured?
In conclusion, drug therapies
have no definite role in
the cure of GAVE-related bleeding and should be considered an experimental therapeutic approach in the setting of controlled clinical trials.
What are the symptoms of GAVE?
- Blood in the stool.
- Vomiting blood (hematemesis)
- Anemia (iron deficiency)
- General abdominal pain or discomfort.
How serious is GAVE disease?
Although GAVE syndrome is a rare medical condition, it is a relevant possibility in older patients with severe acute or chronic gastrointestinal blood loss, because it accounts for
up to 4% of nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal blood loss
.
How do you treat GAVE Disease?
The current standard of care for management of GAVE involves treatment of
acute episodes of bleeding with endoscopic procedures and blood transfusions
. However, re-bleeding often occurs, requiring repeated treatments.
What does GAVE stand for?
GAVE (
Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia
), also known as “Watermelon Stomach”, is a condition in which the blood vessels in the lining of the stomach become fragile and become prone to rupture and bleeding.
What’s a watermelon stomach?
Watermelon stomach is
a condition in which the lining of the stomach bleeds
, causing it to look like the characteristic stripes of a watermelon when viewed by endoscopy . Although it can develop in men and women of all ages, watermelon stomach is most commonly observed in older women (over age 70 years).
What causes Menetrier’s disease?
The exact cause of
Menetrier disease is unknown
. There may be multiple causes. In children, some cases of Menetrier disease may be associated with infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV). The bacterium Helicobacter pylori has been implicated in some adults with Menetrier disease.
What is Hematemesis evidence?
Melena strongly suggests, and hematemesis confirms, that
bleeding is of upper gastrointestinal origin
. In this situation, seek historical evidence for common causes such as peptic ulcer, cirrhosis with esophageal or gastric varices, gastritis, esophagitis, Mallory–Weiss tears, and malignancy.
What is Angioectasia of the stomach?
Gastrointestinal (GI) angioectasia is
a vascular lesion characterized by vascular ectasias at the submucous sheath of the gastrointestinal tract
. Lesions can be flat or raised, isolated or grouped, and can break or ulcerate, causing acute hemorrhage or, more commonly, chronic bleeding [6].
How common is GAVE?
Although it is a rare disorder, Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) causes
up to 4% of non-variceal upper GI bleeding
. Ultimately, treatment of the underlying medical co-morbidities may lead to resolution of GAVE. Although the cause of GAVE is unknown, there are many theories.
Where is the antrum of the stomach?
The antrum is the
smaller distal, one-fourth to one-third of the stomach
. The narrow, 1–2-cm channel that connects the stomach and duodenum is the pylorus.
What is vascular ectasia of skin?
It is a
localized vascular malformation involving the dermis and subcutaneous fat
. Histopathological examination shows hyperkeratosis, dilated capillaries, large cavernous, endothelial-lined, and blood-filled spaces extending deep into the reticular dermis and subcutaneous fat [2].
Is gastric antral vascular ectasia bad?
Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is
a rare
but an important cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) and commonly presents as occult bleeding that manifests as iron deficiency anemia (IDA). GAVE is commonly associated with chronic illnesses, most frequently liver cirrhosis and connective tissue diseases.
What causes vascular ectasia?
It can be associated with long-term, chronic diseases, such as cirrhosis of the liver; autoimmune diseases, such as hardening and scarring of the skin (scleroderma); Raynaud’s disease; or kidney disease. The key problem with gastric antral vascular ectasia is
blood loss
.
How do you cure a Cameron lesion?
First-line treatment of Cameron lesions are long-term
high-dose PPI
and iron supplement. However, persistent anaemia and re-bleeding is seen in about 20% of patients. In such cases, surgical treatment with retraction of the hernia, closure of the weakness in the diaphragm and fundoplication may be necessary.
