Clinical Gastroenterology Vol.15 No.5(5)

Theme Portal Hypertension
Title Portal Hypertensive Gastropathy
Publish Date 2000/05
Author Atsushi Toyonaga The Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
Author Tadashi Iwao Iwao Hospital
Author Kazuhiko Oho The Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
Author Masahiro Sato The Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
Author Yasunao Miyamoto The Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
Author Masashi Kumamoto The Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
Author Kenji Sakai The Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
Author Michio Sata The Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
[ Summary ] Portal-hypertensive gastropathy (PHG), which is characterized by mucosal and submucosal vascular dilatation without inflammation, indicates non-variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis. Portal pressure and some humoral factors may play important roles in this pathogenesis. Gastric acid secretory activity is normal or reduced in these cases. In regard to gastric mucosal hemodynamics, it is not known whether "overflow" (i.e., active congestion) or "stasis" (i.e., passive congestion) causes gastric mucosal hyperemia. Treatments, such as pharmacological (e.g., propranolol), surgical (e.g., portosystemic shunt), and radiological (e.g., transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts) procedures may be useful in preventing bleeding from PHG.
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