Diagnosis and treatment of gastric abscess by endoscopic ultrasound: A mini-review of the preliminary application

Abstract

Gastric abscess is a rare condition caused by gastric barrier damage. It is easily misdiagnosed in clinical practice as a cancer recurrence or submucosal tumor, especially after surgery or endoscopic submucosal dissection. With a relatively high mortality rate, the cause and clinical characteristics of gastric abscesses are obscure. To date, diagnostic evaluations have mostly included indirect gastroscopy and abdominal computed tomography. A definite diagnosis of gastric abscess is challenging, and unnecessary surgery is sometimes performed. Relatively few applications of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) have been described. EUS-guided fine needle aspiration for diagnosis and drainage is not commonly used. Therefore, more experiences related to the cause and clinical characteristics of gastric abscesses should be reported. Further recognition of EUS ultrasonographic images and related minimally invasive EUS therapies are urgently needed. Herein, through a literature review of previous cases, we summarized the causes, clinical features, and diagnostic methods for gastric abscess. Moreover, we aimed to gain more experience diagnosing gastric abscesses by EUS for future differentiation and treatment strategies by endoscopy.