Uremic Gastropathy in the Dog

Stomachs of four dogs with uremia and four normal dogs were examined. Uremic stomachs represented four types of disease: atrophic, amyloidotic, ulcerative and necrotic gastropathy. Pathologic changes common to all uremic stomachs were expansion of the lamina propria, atrophy of gastric glands, and submucosal arteriopathy; lesions were limited to body and fundic zones. Lamina propria was markedly expanded by edema, mastocytosis, deposition of acidic mucosubstances, fibroplasia and mineralization. Capillaries in lamina propria had swollen endothelium and calcium salts were present extracellularly as amorphous granular laminae. Gastric glands were distorted and irregular and had fewer cells per unit of tissue. Parietal cells were swollen and had fragmentation of cytocavitary network and mitochondrial swelling with calcification. Chief cells were shrunken, agranular and atrophic with foci of glycogen and dilation of endoplasmic reticulum. Argentaffin cell content was diminished. Muscular arteries of submucosae had segmental degenerative lesions characterized by myocyte necrosis, calcification, and deposition of acidic mucosubstances and fibrin; thrombosis and obstructive arteriopathy were common. These studies suggest that uremic gastropathy is a disease of mucosal lamina propria and that lesions were due to anoxia caused by diffuse vascular injury and to altered parietal cell function.

ARGENTAFFIN CELL TUMORS (CARCINOIDS) OF THE APPENDIX IN CHILDREN

Three cases of argentaffin cell tumors of the appendix in children are presented. The condition is rare in childhood. The correct preoperative diagnosis of these tumors when located in the appendix has not been made. They appear to cause an obstructive appendicitis early in their course. This results in appendectomy and may account for lack of metastases in the reported cases. The treatment of the appendiceal carcinoids consists of simple appendectomy and the prognosis is the same as for acute appendicitis.