Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is an uncommon cause of chronic gastrointestinal bleeding or iron deficiency anemia. The condition is associated with dilated small blood vessels in the antrum, or the last part of the stomach. It is also called watermelon stomach because streaky long red areas that are present in the stomach may resemble the markings on watermelon.

GAVE is associated with a number of conditions, including portal hypertension, chronic renal failure, and collagen vascular diseases, particularly scleroderma.

The endoscopic appearance of GAVE is similar to portal hypertensive gastropathy. GAVE is treated with treatment through the endoscope, including argon plasma coagulation and electrocautery. Other medical treatments have been tried and include estrogen and progesterone therapy and anti-fibrinolytic drugs such as tranexamic acid.

References

• Suit PF, Petras RE, Bauer TW, Petrini JL (1987). "Gastric antral vascular ectasia. A histologic and morphometric study of 'the watermelon stomach'". Am. J. Surg. Pathol. 11 (10): 750–7.