Question
A 45-year-old man is brought to the emergency department because of severe abdominal pain for the past 2 hours. He has a 2-year history of burning epigastric pain that gets worse with meals. His pulse is 120/min, respirations are 22/min, and blood pressure is 60/40 mm Hg. Despite appropriate lifesaving measures, he dies. At autopsy, examination shows erosion of the right gastric artery. Perforation of an ulcer in which of the following locations most likely caused this patient’s findings?
| A. |
Anterior duodenum
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| B. |
Posterior duodenum
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| C. |
Greater curvature of the stomach
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| D. |
Lesser curvature of the stomach
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Show Answer
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Correct Answer � D
Explanation
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Ans.D. Lesser curvature of the stomach
This patient has a history of epigastric pain, suggesting peptic ulcer disease. Pain that gets worse with meals and erosion of the right gastric artery suggest that the ulcer is located in the stomach.
- The greater curvature is supplied by the right gastroepiploic artery inferiorly and the left gastroepiploic artery superiorly.
- The lesser curvature of the stomach is supplied by the right and left gastric artery.
- The right gastric artery arises from the common hepatic artery, while the left gastric artery arises from the celiac trunk.
- Since this patient’s ulcer has eroded the right gastric artery, it likely originated from the lower lesser curvature, which is a common location for peptic ulcers.
