A Case of Gastric Emphysema in Anorexia Nervosa Presenting as Acute Gastric Distension / 대한소화기학회지

ABSTRACT

Gas within the gastric wall is an alarming finding and a rare condition. Clinically, this condition is divided into two entities; Gastric emphysema and emphysematous gastritis. These two diseases should be differentiated because they are characterized by different clinical symptoms, possible etiology, treatment and prognosis. While emphysematous gastritis is a severe condition with high mortality, gastric emphysema is asymptomatic and usually has benign course. Rarely, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa have been discribed to be associated with acute gastric distension and duodenal obstruction induced by superior mesentery artery syndrome. So, gastric emphysema could be accompanied by acute gastric distension induced by anorexia nervosa. We report a rare case of gastric emphysema in a patient with anorexia nervosa presenting as superior mesenteric artery syndrome with relevant literatures. In this case, the gastric emphysema was improved without surgical intervention after nasogastric tube for decompression and feeding insertion in the fourth portion of the duodenum.