CHANGE IN ENDOSCOPIC FINDINGS AFTER HELICOBACTER PYLORI ERADICATION

Abstract

Since the discovery of Helicobacter pylori, the concept of diagnosis and treatment of upper gastrointestinal diseases has changed greatly from conventional beliefs. It has been recognized that H. pylori infection affects endoscopy images of gastric mucosa at the same time. It has become clear that eradication of H. pylori markedly improved histological gastritis induced by H. pylori infection. Because the histological change concerning H. pylori infection is reflected for the endoscope images, they also change greatly. The most remarkable histological change by eradication is improvement of infiltration of inflammatory cells and epithelial hyperplasia, characteristics of endoscopic change are improvement of edema and disappearance of spotty and macular redness of gastric mucosa. In addition, swelling and tortuosity of gastric fold are improved and adhesion mucin disappears in the greater curvature of gastric body after eradication. Moreover, nodular gastritis in the antrum improved by eradication. On the other hand, redness and/with erosion newly appear in the antrum and duodenal bulb. As disorders, gastric MALT lymphoma and hyperplastic polyp are improved by eradication. It is important that changes of endoscopic image after eradications are known well in common practice.