Acute gastric necrosis in anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Two case reports
R. A. Abdu, D. Garritano and O. Culver
In recent years we have treated two patients with gastric infarction as a
complication of anorexia nervosa and bulimia. We found only three other
cases reported in the literature. Surgical intervention was delayed in all
five patients either because the diagnosis was missed by the physician or
because the patient failed to seek medical attention. Physicians should be
alerted to the possibility of acute gastric dilatation if a young woman,
who may be undernourished and anorexic, complains of abdominal pain after
ingestion of a large meal. Often this condition can be treated
conservatively before irreversible damage to the gastric wall has taken
place. If the gastric dilatation progresses, the stomach loses its
contractility, resulting in venous occlusion, infarction, and gastric
perforation. An extensive operation is required, and the patient undergoes
an often complicated and prolonged hospital course.
