Endoscopic ultrasonography in the diagnosis and treatment of a gastric wall abscess.

A gastric wall abscess is rare and it can reportedly appear similar to a submucosal tumor on endoscopy. Few reports have described endoscopic ultrasonographic findings for a gastric wall abscess. An 84-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for tarry stools. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed an elevated lesion similar to a submucosal tumor at the posterior wall of the stomach. Erosion and a white coat were observed on top of the lesion. Endoscopic ultrasonography showed an anechoic lesion connected to the proper muscular layer with a hyperechoic area in the center of the lesion. The lesion was diagnosed as a gastric wall abscess using endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration and was treated with endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage. The final diagnosis was a gastric wall abscess presenting as gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The patient was discharged with internal drainage stents. Computed tomography performed 3 months after discharge did not show recurrence of the abscess.