Gastric Ulcer - A Cause of Portal Cavernoma and Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Case Report

It is known that upper gastrointestinal bleeding has many causes, esophageal and gastric lesions being the most frequent. Esophageal varices, the most common esophageal disease involved in the appearance of gastrointestinal bleeding, are due to portal hypertension, which is generated by different causes, including portal cavernoma [1,2]. It is also known that portal cavernoma can have many causes. One of these is represented by a chronic inflammatory process located near the portal vein. A long evolving posterior gastric ulcer can determine an inflammatory process in the adjacent area [3], affecting the pancreas, the splenic artery and vein and even the liver and the hepatic hilum. Although portal vein thrombosis is a rare entity in noncirrhotic patients [4], this paper intends to present the case of a noncirrhotic patient with esophageal varices secondary to portal cavernoma and gastric ulcer, who developed multiple episodes of gastrointestinal bleeding.