When gastric varices are symptomatic, however, they usually present acutely and dramatically with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The symptoms can include vomiting blood, melena (passing black, tarry stools); or passing maroon stools or frank blood in the stools. Many people with bleeding gastric varices present in shock due to the profound loss of blood.Secondly, patients with acute pancreatitis may present with gastric varices as a complication of a blood clot in the splenic vein. The splenic vein sits over the pancreas anatomically, and inflammation or cancers of the pancreas may result in a blood clot forming in the splenic vein. As the short gastric veins of the fundus of the stomach drain into the splenic vein, thrombosis of the splenic vein will result in increased pressure and engorgement of the short veins, leading to varices in the fundus of the stomach.Laboratory testing usually shows low red blood cell count and often a low platelet count. If cirrhosis is present, there may be coagulopathy manifested by a prolonged INR; both of these may worsen the bleeding from gastric varices.In very rare cases, gastric varices are caused by splenic vein occlusion as a result of the mass effect of slow-growing pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Diagnosis
Diagnosis of gastric varices is often made at the time of upper endoscopy. Classification
The Sarin classification of gastric varices identifies four different anatomical types of gastric varices, which differ in terms of treatment modalities. Treatment
Initial treatment of bleeding from gastric varices focuses on resuscitation, much as with esophageal varices.
Bat ear may refer to:

Protruding ear, an abnormally protruding human ear
A shape of dog ear; see Canine terminology
The ear of a bat, used for echolocation
The ear of a nocturnal insect, primarily used to detect calls from insectivorous bats

See also
Bat-eared fox