Diffuse Intestinal Metaplasia.

 An 85 year-old female two years ago, she underwent open
 cholecystectomy. The patient complained of epigastric
 discomfort, an upper video gastroscopy was performed.
 A deformed antrum was appreciated, biliar reflux is
 observed, biopsies where taken to rule out carcinoma.
 Intestinal metaplasia is the most dramatic epithelial
 transformation, the acquisition of the epithelium that is
 normally observed only in the intestine.
 Intestinal metaplasia has not only morphologic and
 biochemical properties of the small intestinal epithelium
 but also functional ones. The metaplastic stomach changes
 from a secretory organ to an “intestinal” organ capable of
 the absorption of certain substances such as lipid, from the
 gastric lumen. 

 For more endoscopic details download the video clips by
 clicking on the endoscopic images, wait to be downloaded
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 the video in full screen.

 All endoscopic images shown in this Atlas contain
 video clips.

      Intestinal Metaplasia of the Pre-Piloric Antrum.

 The video clip displays more intensive areas of Intestinal
 Metaplasia of the antrum as well as biliar reflux.
 Metaplasia is a potentially reversible change from a fully
 differentiated cell type to another cell type implying
 adaptation to environmental stimuli. In the stomach
 intestinal type metaplasia is most common. This occurs as
 a result of Helicobacter pylori infection or bile reflux.