06-15-2009, 06:06 PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieulafoy%27s_lesion
Dieulafoy's lesion is a cause of gastric hemorrhage.[1] It is an uncommon cause of gastric bleeding thought to cause less than 5% of all gastrointestinal bleeds in adults. It was named after French surgeon Paul Georges Dieulafoy. It is also called "Caliber-persistent artery" or "Aneurysm" of gastric vessels. However unlike most other aneurysms these are thought to be developmental malformations rather than degenerative changes.
Dieulafoy's Lesions(DL) is characterized by a single large tortuous arteriole in the submucosa which does not undergo normal branching, or one of the branches retain high calibre of about 1-5 mm which is more than 10 times the normal diameter of mucosal capillaries. The lesion bleeds into the gastrointestinal tract through a minute defect in the mucosa which is not a primary ulcer of the mucosa but an erosion probably caused from the submucosal surface by the pulsatile arteriole protruding into the mucosa.
95% of Dieulafoy's lesions occur in the upper part of the stomach, within 6 cm of the gastroesophageal junction commonly in the lesser curvature, however they can occur anywhere in the GI tract
Interestingly and in contrast to peptic ulcer disease, a history of alcohol abuse or NSAID use is usually absent in Dieulafoy's.
Symptoms:
The symptoms due to bleeding are hematemesis and/or melena, possibly with shock.
Dieulafoy's lesion is a cause of gastric hemorrhage.[1] It is an uncommon cause of gastric bleeding thought to cause less than 5% of all gastrointestinal bleeds in adults. It was named after French surgeon Paul Georges Dieulafoy. It is also called "Caliber-persistent artery" or "Aneurysm" of gastric vessels. However unlike most other aneurysms these are thought to be developmental malformations rather than degenerative changes.
Dieulafoy's Lesions(DL) is characterized by a single large tortuous arteriole in the submucosa which does not undergo normal branching, or one of the branches retain high calibre of about 1-5 mm which is more than 10 times the normal diameter of mucosal capillaries. The lesion bleeds into the gastrointestinal tract through a minute defect in the mucosa which is not a primary ulcer of the mucosa but an erosion probably caused from the submucosal surface by the pulsatile arteriole protruding into the mucosa.
95% of Dieulafoy's lesions occur in the upper part of the stomach, within 6 cm of the gastroesophageal junction commonly in the lesser curvature, however they can occur anywhere in the GI tract
Interestingly and in contrast to peptic ulcer disease, a history of alcohol abuse or NSAID use is usually absent in Dieulafoy's.
Symptoms:
The symptoms due to bleeding are hematemesis and/or melena, possibly with shock.