Role of hemoclips in the management of acute bleeding from a gastric stromal tumor: a case report and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION: Though gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) frequently present with gastrointestinal bleeding, the guidelines for the management and control of bleeding are unclear especially in patients who are not appropriate for surgical resection. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of gastric GIST in an elderly patient who presented with bleeding. Homeostasis was achieved initially with the endoscopic placement of a hemoclip followed by treatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, imatinib. CONCLUSION: The management of bleeding GISTs in the elderly pose a challenging task to the gastroenterologist and treatment strategies should be tailored to the expertise of the endoscopist, surgeon and other supportive staff.