Gastric mucosal tears with acute hemorrhage: a possible variant of the Mallory-Weiss syndrome.

Abstract

Two cases of massive upper-gastrointestinal hemorrhage caused by mucosal tears in the body of the stomach at some distance from the esophagogastric junction are presented. The difference in location between this lesion and the usual one found in the Mallory-Weiss syndrome is noted. The pathogenesis of the Mallory-Weiss syndrome and its relation to the lesion described here is discussed. Finally, we stress the importance, for diagnosis and treatment, of recognizing mucosal lacerations as a cause for massive upper-gastrointestinal hemorrhage in areas other than the esophago-gastric junction.