Abstract
A 56-year-old man with hepatoma, who had been treated with total 3, 960 rad of 60Co-irradiation 2 months previously, was readmitted to the hospital because of fever and anemia. Following admission, he passed tarry stools every day. Barium meal examination revealed esophageal varices and erosive gastritis of the antrum. At endoscopy, many hemor-rhagic erosions were found in the gastric antrum and the first part of duodenum, which were located in the irradiation area. Since repeated blood transfusion failed to improve anemia, a complete fasting with intravenous hyperalimentation and antacid therapy were started. Two months later, feeding was started and thereafter continued without any appre-ciable GI bleeding or worsening of anemia. Endoscopic examination at this time revealed only a few erosions scattered over the edematous antral mucosa as well as the proximal duodenum. IVH, antacids and abstinence from food seem to be an effective measure in the treatment of radiation injury of the gut.
