Emphysematous Gastritis in the Setting of Chronic Abdominal Pain

Authors

• Aws Alameri Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
• Alsadiq Al Hillan Department of Internal Medicine, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune City, NJ, USA
• Abdulrahman S. Museedi Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
• Ahmed Oglah Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
• Mohammed Alkhero Department of Internal Medicine, UHS Southern California Medical Education Consortium, Temecula, CA, USA
• Sadie Trammell Velásquez Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA

alameria@uthscsa.edu

Keywords

Abstract

Emphysematous gastritis is a rare but fatal variant of gastritis. It is caused by gastric wall invasion by gas-forming organisms. It follows disruption of gastric mucosal integrity by a variety of factors, most commonly caustic ingestion and alcohol abuse. Patients typically present with abdominal symptoms with features of septic shock. Emphysematous gastritis carries a high mortality rate warranting early intervention with supportive measures and broad-spectrum antibiotics. It is essential to consider this rare entity in the differential diagnosis of a patient presenting with abdominal pain as timely intervention is crucial for survival.