Gastric necrosis is a rare entity due to the normal anatomy of the stomach; the irrigation of the stomach is abundant and has vast collateral irrigation that prevents necrosis from happening in normal situations. Gastric ischemia doesn't happen even if arterial occlusion occurs; however, a venous occlusion caused by an increase in intragastric pressure (measured >20 cm H2O in some experiments) that surpasses gastric venous pressure can precipitate necrosis of the stomach. Here we present the case of a 79-year-old woman with a history of chronic smoking, Alzheimer's dementia, systemic hypertension, hypothyroidism, chronic constipation, and a hysterectomy performed 25 years ago. An exploratory laparotomy was performed with the following findings: 3 liters of fecaloid fluid in the abdominal cavity, 70% necrosis of the stomach affecting major curvature and 80% of the fundus without compromising the cardia, a perforation in the anterior portion of the stomach with a diameter of 6 cm, a right femoral hernia with small bowel entrapment, intestinal obstruction with dilated small bowel; and intestinal necrosis of 7 cm of the ileum that was inside the femoral hernia. A vertical gastrectomy for the necrotic stomach and intestinal resection with termino-terminal anastomosis in the affected segment of the ileum were performed. The patient had a poor response to treatment and finally died 72 hours after surgery due to abdominal sepsis. This report shows that gastric necrosis, although rare, can be a cause of acute abdominal pain. It highlights the importance of a good clinical examination and imaging studies in detecting the causes of small bowel obstruction and offering prompt diagnosis and treatment to patients with small bowel obstruction.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.