Nodular hyperplasia of Brunner's glands.

A clinical, endoscopic, and histological study of 206 cases of nodular hyperplasia of Brunner's glands was carried out. Firm nodules with a reddened surface due to hyperplastic Brunner's glands were limited mainly to the first part of the duodenum and affected almost exclusively male patients. Gastric acid secretion after pentagastrin stimulation was significantly increased compared to normal. In most cases, biopsies of the nodule center revealed spreading of Brunner's glands from within the lamina propria to the surface epithelium, whereas in biopsies performed between nodules, Brunner's glands were limited to the deeper part of the mucosa. Thirty-six nodules completely removed by diathermy were composed almost entirely of Brunner's glands. The frequent association with duodenal ulcer, chronic gastric erosions, and cobblestone pattern of the gastric body mucosa, as well as the significant hypersecretory state, suggest that hyperacidity plays a role in the pathogenesis of nodular hyperplasia of Brunner's glands.

Gastritis cystica polyposa: a possible precancerous lesion.

Twenty polypoid lesions at gastroenterostomy stomas (the so-called gastritis cystica polyposa-GCP) were endoscopically removed from gastroenterostomy stomas of 16 male and two female patients previously operated for benign lesions. The interval from surgery ranged from 3 to 40 years (mean: 16.2 years). At light microscopy GCP showed 2 histologic patterns: a) with cystic glands limited to the mucosal layer (gastritis cystica superficialis); b) with cystic glands also spreading into the submucosa (gastritis cystica profunda). Atrophy of specific gastric glands, intestinal metaplasia and dysplastic changes also occurred. Local chronic ischemia and inflammatory reaction as a consequence of gastric surgery and suture at gastroenterostomy together with bile reflux were considered responsible for the development of GCP. The sites and the histologic features of GCP resembled those of experimental stomal polyps preceeding carcinoma in rats after partial gastrectomy. The sites of formation, the sex incidence, the interval from previous operation as well as the histologic findings suggest that GCP is a possible precancerous lesion.

Prevalence of gastroduodenal lesions in uremic patients undergoing dialysis and after renal transplantation.

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examination showed lesions in 28 of 112 dialysis uremic patients and in 19 of 52 after renal transplantation. Most patients with and without lesions were symptom free. A significant increase in gastric acid secretion was found in patients with transplant as compared with dialysis uremic patients. The prevalence of ulcer in the dialysis group was not increased compared with the general population, whereas it was increased in the group with transplantation. An increase of duodenal and a decrease of gastric lesions (ulcers and erosions) in the group with transplantation compared with the dialysis group was found. The importance of a systematic upper gastrointestinal endoscopic survey in hemodialyzed and transplanted patients is stressed.

Chronic erosions of the stomach--a clinical, endoscopic and histological evaluation.

A clinical, endoscopic and histological study was performed in 300 patients with chronic gastric erosions. The male-female ratio was 4:1. The antrum was the preferential site of erosions. Chronic erosions were classified into two categories: "active" (with a dark clot or whitish coat of fibrin) and "inactive" (covered by a normal pink mucosa). All the lesions showed foveolar hyperplasia, partial obliteration of the lamina propria by fibrous and smooth muscle bundles, a greatly thickened muscularis mucosae and an increased number of submucosal thick-walled vessels. In the "active" stage the central umbilicated area was covered by a collection of granulocytes, while in some of the "inactive" erosions the central depression showed the presence of a channel-like structure penetrating into the lamina propria. In two cases the lesion mimicked a gastric adenomyoma. Gastric acid secretion was significantly increased in the tested patients as compared with normal. The similarity of the histological findings with those in ischemic conditions of the gastro-intestinal tract suggests that both hypersecretion and localized ischemia may play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic erosions.

Squamous papillomas of the esophagus.

Fifteen cases of squamous papilloma of the esophagus were found in 20,000 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies. Squamous papillomas are usually incidental findings; symptoms are related to associated esophageal or gastrointestinal lesions. Chronic irritation from gastric acid reflux may play an etiological role.

Heterotopic gastric (fundic) mucosa in the duodenum.

Twenty cases of heterotopic fundic mucosa in the duodenum are reported. The patients had several small polyps ranging from one to three mm tightly grouped to form a plaque in a limited zone of the duodenal bulb. In some cases the polyps were separated from one another. They were round or conical and manifested a frosted-glass appearance with a pale-pink or redded coloration. In two cases a whitish solitary polyp of five mm was located in the 2nd part of the duodenum. Biopsies obtained from the polyps revealed them to be composed of fundal mucosa, thus representing a particular form of heterotopia, other then the steroid-induced type, and that of patients undergoing regular dialysis for uraemia. The different clinical and morphological data in the various forms of fundal heterotopia are discussed.

Morphological changes of the gastroduodenal mucosa in regular dialysis uraemic patients.

An endoscopic and biopsy study of the upper gastrointestinal tract in 102 patients receiving regular dialysis treatment (RDT) for chronic renal failure, showed prominent hypertrophic folds and a peculiar pale-grey or pale-pink colour of the gastric mucosa in most cases. Gastric erosions occurred in 11 cases and gastric ulcer in two. Duodenal erosions were found in 13 cases, eight of which were associated with hyperplasia of Brunner's glands. Duodenal ulcer occurred in one case. The histological findings were compared with those in 100 subjects with an endoscopically normal gastro-duodenal tract. In most cases of the RDT group the fundal area was enlarged at the expense of the antrum, fundal glands and/or isolated parietal cells often spreading within the duodenal mucosa. In most cases the duodenal bulb showed hyperplasia of Brunner's glands and heterotopic gastric surface epithelium. The frequency of the mucosal changes differs significantly in the two groups of subjects. Gastric hyperplastic changes in RDT are probably due to the trophic action of hypergastrinemia which is of common occurrence in such a condition, and can account for gastric acid hypersecretion. Acid hypersecretion, in turn, can account for the duodenal changes and gastroduodenal lesions.

Changes in the mucosa of the stomach and duodenum during immunosuppressive therapy after renal transplantation.

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examination of 40 patients on immunosuppressive therapy after successful kidney transplantation revealed a duodenal ulcer in four cases and duodenal erosions in six. Between four and six biopsies were collected from the antral and the fundal mucosa in each case and from the duodenal mucosa in 29. Antral superficial gastritis was found in 13 cases and fundal superficial gastritis in three. In the fundus, heterotopic calcifications were seen in eight cases and cytomegalovirus inclusion bodies in two. Parietal cells were increased in number and reached the pyloric zone in 34 cases, whilst they spread within the duodenal mucosa in 12. Multinucleate parietal cells were of common occurrence and in some cases showed mitotic figures. Duodenitis was found in 16 cases and in duodenal mucosal cells cytomegalovirus inclusion bodies were seen in nine cases. Biopsy evidence of hyperplasia of Brunner's glands was encountered in 26 cases. Of 20 patients tested for gastric acid secretion, hypersecretion occurred in 14 and normal secretion in six. Endoscopic and histological changes relate to the secretory pattern. Cytomegalovirus inclusion bodies relate to immunosuppressive therapy. An inverse temporal relationship exists between heterotopic calcification and the duration of renal transplant. Steroids seem to be responsible for gastroduodenal changes in transplanted patients.