Gastropathy

[Chris884]

When I posted does this point to cirrhosis. I had on there what my doctor back then 2009 found on my endoscopy esophagus normal. It shows chronic superficial gastritis with changes suggestive of reactive gastropathy. Does that mean portal hypertension? I read portal hypertension causes portal hypertension gastropathy

[chrisw740]

Hi Chris

I wrote the answer below when you asked this question a few months ago... (so I've pasted it here as a reminder which may help)

" There are generally visual/histological differences between the two types of gastrophy seen on an endoscopy and if relevant, on any biopsy.

Corrosive or REACTIVE gastrophy occurs when the stomach lining is assaulted and irritated from the 'outside' of the stomach lining, often by NSAIDs (Ibroprphen etc) or alcohol or excess acid and so on.

Gastritis (inflammation) often happens for sometime before gastrophy (damage) develops.

Portal hypertensive gastrophy IS A DIFFERENT type of breakdown in the stomach lining which occurs because of the increased blood pressure supplying the stomach - often resulting in dialated blood vessels and different patterns of mucosal disruption and damage.

Having no other signs of portal hypertension will of course be a factor in the diagnosis you were given.

Stress is believed to sometimes be a contributory factor too.

Managing or removing the causes, especially known irritants will go a long way in improving the integrity of the stomach lining.

As always I would trust your doctor above all other sources of information."

[AyrshireK in reply to chrisw740]

Reactive gastropathy is a non-cancerous change that happens in the stomach.

It means that the cells lining the inside of the stomach have become injured by substances not normally found in the stomach.

Causes include bile reflux, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, alcohol, and smoking.

Another name for this condition is chemical gastropathy.

Portal hypertensive gastropathy refers to changes in the mucosa of the stomach in patients with portal hypertension; by far the most common cause of this is cirrhosis of the liver. These changes in the mucosa include friability of the mucosa and the presence of ectatic blood vessels at the surface. Patients with portal hypertensive gastropathy may experience bleeding from the stomach, which may uncommonly manifest itself in vomiting blood or melena; however, portal hypertension may cause several other more common sources of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, such as esophageal varices and gastric varices. On endoscopic evaluation of the stomach, this condition shows a characteristic mosaic or "snake-skin" appearance to the mucosa of the stomach.

[chrisw740 in reply to AyrshireK]

Hey Katie

Was this for me or other Chris?

[AyrshireK in reply to chrisw740]

To the other one. Just replied to the thread, didn't realise it had replied to your post.

[chrisw740 in reply to AyrshireK]

👍

[Chris884 in reply to chrisw740]

Okay so if it was due from portal hypertension it would have said portal hypertension gastropathy? Right

[AyrshireK in reply to Chris884]

It certainly does on my hubbies reports "Portal hypertensive gastropathy of the fundus!" is frequently quoted on all his scans.

[Chris884 in reply to AyrshireK]

Ok thanks but doctor saw it on a endoscopy not scan

[Chris884 in reply to AyrshireK]

So reactive gastropathy and portal hypertension gastropathy are two different things?

[chrisw740 in reply to Chris884]

Exactly as Katie and I have outlined. They are different as described above - in cause, nature and appearance.

[Chris884 in reply to chrisw740]

Okay thanks

[turbogirl555 in reply to AyrshireK]

Hi there, does anyone else that has Portal Hypertensive Gastropathy suffer from indegestion type symtoms? I have portal vein thrombosis and as a result have PHG. I suffer from constand bloating (never goes away) acid reflux somtimes, really burpy and some days really nauseous. Would be keen to hear what symptoms others have with PHG!

[AyrshireK in reply to turbogirl555]

Those were the main symptoms my hubby was getting together with horrendous indigestion (like bent double with pain after eating/drinking acidic foods) before we even knew he had liver disease - when he was first hospitalized with his variceal bleed is when he was diagnosed with PHG. Since then he's been on omeprazole and no longer has the pains though also avoids eating what he feels are trigger foods.

Katie

[turbogirl555 in reply to AyrshireK]

oh thank you for replying! Yes i am on Lansoprazole which help a lot but still have bad days where i would be so uncomfortable and some days the nausea is really bad. Seems to be food related but we cant work out what exactly (keep a diary for all the bad days)!

[AyrshireK in reply to turbogirl555]

My hubby would be bad with fruit like oranges, grapefruit and he even avoids apples too. Coleslaw, pickles, orange juice and lasagne which is wierd because he can eat meat, cheese, tomatoes but put them together as a lasagne and it's like he was having a heart attack. Some months before he had his bleed he turned bright yellow/green one day after orange juice with breakfast - dry vomitting all day and needed bed rest only to be right as rain come tea time.

Katie

[turbogirl555 in reply to AyrshireK]

Thats helpful thanks. I have another OGD on 26th so will be intersting to see if they think its got worse as i never had these symtoms when my portal vein thrombosis was first diagnosed and for a few years afterwards . They only started last year so its puzzling.