Gastric radiotherapy as treatment of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.

A patient with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia and von Willebrand's disease is described. He suffered recurrent episodes of gastrointestinal bleeding endoscopically localized to the cardia and body of the stomach. A cobalt 60 source was used to deliver 1600 rad to the patient's stomach. The effect of the radiation was remarkable in that he remained free of bleeding for more than 11 months. Radiotherapy should be considered for control of gastric bleeding in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.