Gastric Gangrene “An Iatrogenic Misadventure”

In gastrointestinal system gangrene commonly involves intestines. Involvement of stomach is a rare finding. Herein we describe a case of gastric gangrene secondary to herniation of stomach through an iatrogenic defect. Gangrene of the stomach is a rare and a catastrophic occurrence as stomach is a highly vascularised organ. Gastric gangrene could be secondary to atherosclerosis, arterial embolism, iatrogenic gelfoam embolism, venous thrombosis, gastric volvulus, bulimia nervosa, endoscopic haemostatic injections, diaphragmatic hernia and infectious gastritis. Most reported cases have occurred due to gastric volvulus (Amin El-Gohary and Etiaby, Paedr Surg Intl 9:486–488, 1994; Al-Salem, Pediatr Radiol 30(12):842–5, 2000). Few cases have been reported as complicated hernias either a Bochdalek hernia (Ghanem, Chankun, Brooks, BJS V74(9):779, 2005) or as peristomal hernias which initially lead to gastric outlet obstruction (Ellingson, Maki, Kozarek, Patterson, J Clin Gastroenterol 17(4):314–6, 1993).