DRG Category: 391

Mean LOS: 5.1 days

Description MEDICAL: Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis, and Miscellaneous Digestive Disorders with Major CC

classification section:



Gastritis is any inflammatory process of the mucosal lining of the stomach. The inflammation may be contained within one region or be patchy in many areas. Gastric structure and function are altered in either the epithelial or the glandular components of the gastric mucosa. The inflammation is usually limited to the mucosa, but some forms involve the deeper layers of the gastric wall. Gastritis is classified into acute and chronic forms.

ACUTE. The most common form of acute gastritis is acute hemorrhagic gastritis, also called acute erosive gastritis. The gastric erosions are limited to the mucosa, which have edema and sites of bleeding. Erosions can be diffuse throughout the stomach or localized to the antrum.

CHRONIC. The three forms of chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa are superficial gastritis, atrophic gastritis, and gastric atrophy. Superficial gastritis, the initial stage in the development of chronic gastritis, leads to red, edematous surface epithelium, small erosions, and decreased mucus content. The gastric glands remain normal. With atrophic gastritis, inflammation extends deeper into the gland area of the mucosa with loss of parietal and chief cells. Atrophic gastritis further develops into the final stage of chronic gastritis—gastric atrophy. In this stage, there is a total loss of glandular structure.

Chronic gastritis has also been classified as type A and type B. Type A chronic gastritis, the less common form, involves the body of the stomach (fundus) rather than the antrum. Type B gastritis is a more common nonautoimmune inflammation of the lining of the stomach. It primarily involves the antrum but can affect the entire stomach as age increases. Patients with chronic gastritis have an increased risk (10%) for gastric cancer or may develop chronic iron deficiency. Untreated gastritis can also lead to hemorrhage and shock, gastric perforation, gastrointestinal (GI) obstruction, and peritonitis.

Alkaline reflux gastritis is inflammation caused by reflux of bile and pancreatic secretions that disrupt the mucosal layer of the stomach and lead to burning epigastric pain, nausea, and emesis. Alkaline reflux gastritis is a known complication of the Billroth II gastrojejunostomy surgical procedure.