A nasty case of gastritis?

WHAT IS THE MOST LIKELY DIAGNOSIS?

a) Portal hypertensive gastropathy

Doesn't really look like 'snake skin' does it?

b) HP associated gastritis

HPAG is a great mimicker but not this time

c) Gastric vascular ectasia

Absolutely, affecting the whole stomach!

d) Lymphocytic gastritis

LyC gastritis is ulcerative!

e) Linitis plastica

Another great mimicker but this is a vascular issue rather than mucosal infiltration!

explanation

Of course, this is a case of Gastric Vascular Ectasia.  As the whole of the stomach is affected, I don't think that we can call it 'antral' ectasia. 

Gastric antral vascular ectasia “GAVE” (watermelon stomach) has been described with;
• Cirrhosis
• Atrophic gastritis/achlorhydria/hypergastrinaemia
• Connective tissue diseases (especially systemic sclerosis and hypothyroidism)
• Diabetes
• Heart failure
• Chronic renal failure

It has been proposed that the underlying link between all the different conditions associated with GAVE may have autonomic dysfunction in common leading to prolapse of the antral mucosa through the pylorus.   Must admit that I'm sceptical! 

A study suggested that a “punctuate pattern”, as seen in this clip, is typical of cirrhosis whilst a “striped type” was more common in non-cirrhotic cases.  Indeed this patient had NASH cirrhosis. 

Portal hypertensive gastropathy probably has a different aetiology and is a different condition as gastric antral vascular ectasia can develop with a normal portal pressure.  Patients with vascular ectasia of course usually present with iron deficiency anaemia. 

Patients with bleeding from GAVE were previously treated with antrectomy.  Now, the first line treatment is “thermal therapy”.  Octeotride and oestrogen-progesterone have also been used in small series but would now only be considered if endoscopic therapy fails.  It is far easier to treat these lesions using the argon coagulator than the heater probe. Using a banding device may be quicker in patients who tolerate gastroscopies poorly. RFA is also effective but is VERY expensive.