Abnormal blood vessels in the gastric antrum: a cause of upper-gastrointestinal bleeding.

Three patients who bled from curious vascular lesions of the gastric antrum are described. Each presented with an iron-deficiency anemia. Histological examination in two of the patients demonstrated numerous ectatic submucosal vessels in the antrum, the appearances being somewhat similar to angiodysplasia of the colon. The gastric lesions were not shown by barium meal examination or angiography but gave characteristic appearances on endoscopy. We believe that Billroth I partial gastrectomy is the treatment of choice for this condition.