Gastric antral vascular ectasia

GAVE syndrome ( gastric antral vascular ectasia, watermelon stomach) is radially extending vascular dilation of the gastric mucosa, drawing from the pylorus to the gastric body. The term watermelon stomach is derived from the watermelon -like red - striped image that is found in the stomach (gastroscopy ), which is also similar to the hypertensive gastropathy.

The GAVE syndrome manifested as chronic occult blood loss (upper gastrointestinal bleeding ), which can lead to anemia (iron deficiency anemia). By bleeding can also occur for disposal of tarry stool ( melena ). It occurs in portal hypertension, chronic renal failure or collagen diseases such as scleroderma.

One treatment option is the repeated treatment using argon gas plasma coagulation.