A case of gastric ischemia caused by massive gastric dilatation due to superior mesenteric artery syndrome

Gastric ischemia is extremely rare and its endoscopic findings appear similar to those of malignant tumors, which makes accurate diagnosis difficult. We present the case of a 41-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital for severe abdominal pain and vomiting. Laboratory data at the time of admission indicated high serum levels of C-reactive protein, fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products and D-dimer. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a massive dilatation of the stomach and descending portion of the duodenum, which abruptly narrowed at the portion between the superior mesenteric artery and the aorta, indicating massive gastric and duodenal dilatation due to superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Decompression of the upper gastrointestinal tract using a nasogastric tube was started immediately. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a massive, irregular ulcerative lesion with ill-defined boundaries located in the posterior wall along the greater curvature of the stomach. Although this lesion mimicked a malignant lesion, the biopsy findings revealed a benign gastric ulcer, indicating that the lesion was gastric ischemia caused by the increased intragastric pressure resulting from the massive dilatation. The gastric ischemia healing process was successfully observed through repeated endoscopic examinations of the upper gastrointestinal tract. The patient’s abdominal symptoms disappeared within 10 days and she was discharged from the hospital 23 days after the abdominal episode. This case highlights gastric ischemia associated with an acute massive gastric dilatation resulting in increased intragastric pressure caused by superior mesenteric artery syndrome.