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Endoscopic laser therapy for watermelon stomach
Author(s) -
BOURKE MICHAEL J.,
HOPE RICHARD L.,
BOYD PETER,
GILLESPIE PETER E.,
WARD MICHAEL,
COWEN ALISTAIR E.,
WILLIAMS STEPHEN J.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.1996.tb00088.x
Subject(s) - medicine , laser therapy , stomach , endoscopy , surgery , general surgery , laser , optics , physics
Eleven patients (nine females, two males) with anaemia due to acute and chronic gastrointestinal blood loss were found to have gastric antral vascular ectasia (watermelon stomach). Nine patients were transfusion‐dependent, receiving a mean of 13.1 units over a mean period of 12.3 months. All patients received neodymium:yttrium‐aluminium‐garnet laser coagulation with a median of 3.0 treatment sessions. Post‐treatment transfusion needs were abolished in six patients and minimal in two patients during a mean follow up of 27.3 months (range 12–60 months). Overall there was a mean reduction in transfusion requirement with treatment from 2.5 units per month to 0.4 units per month ( P <0.02). Mean pretreatment haemoglobin improved from 7.7 to 11.9g/dL after treatment ( P < 0.001). No complications occurred. Laser coagulation is safe and effective treatment for anaemia due to watermelon stomach and should be considered as first line therapy.