ENDOSCOPIC LASER TREATMENT OF DIFFUSE GASTRIC ANTRAL VASCULAR ECTASIA

Eight patients (six women and two men) were found to have iron deficie ncy anaemia due to diffuse gastric antral vascular ectasia. The mean a ge of the patients was 74.6 years (range 57-83). All required repeated blood transfusions (mean 18 units/year) before treatment. Five patien ts were classified as having the 'watermelon stomach' (group A) and th ree the 'honeycomb stomach' (group B), according to criteria described in previous reports. All were treated using neodymium:YAG laser photo coagulation. Significant endoscopic improvement and reduction in blood requirements were noticed in group A in which only one patient requir ed a transfusion after treatment. Results in group B were disappointin g. One patient was operated on and the other two still require blood t ransfusions. Laser treatment was safe in both groups and no major comp lications were encountered.