Dobutamine stress echocardiography resulting in acute gastric dilatation and pneumoporta

Acute gastric dilatation is a rare cause of gas within the hepatic portal vein, but one that is important to recognise as prompt decompression via a nasogastric tube is usually successful in resolving the situation. We report the rare case of a 68-year-old man with spontaneous acute gastric dilatation 50 minutes after a dobutamine stress echo that resulted in pneumoporta. The patient had a Nissen's fundoplication 18 months previously; patients with previous antireflux surgery or who have a degree of gastric outlet obstruction may be at increased risk of this unusual condition. Conservative management, with placement of a nasogastric tube was successful in resolving his symptoms.

Acute gastric dilatation causing fatal outcome in a young female with eating disorder: a case report

A 21-year-old female with a history of bulimia nervosa came to the emergency room due to severe abdominal pain after excessive eating five hours previously. On arrival at the emergency room, extreme abdominal distension was detected and the patient's legs changed color. Computed tomography suggested severe gastric dilatation, so abdominal compartment syndrome was suspected and an emergent laparotomy was supposed to be conducted. Though anesthesia was induced without event, abrupt hemodynamic collapse developed just after the operation started. In spite of active resuscitation for 29 min, the patient did not recover and expired. As the incidence of eating disorders is increasing, anesthesiologists should keep in mind the possibility of abdominal compartment syndrome in patients with a recent history of binge eating, and prepare optimal anesthetic and resuscitation remedies against sudden deteriorations of a patient's condition.