Possible mechanism of hemostasis effected by electrocoagulation.

: Forty acute gastric ulcers were created in 10 rabbits. The bleeding was controlled by monopolar electrocoagulation in 20 ulcers, the remaining ulcers were left untreated as controls. Spontaneous intravascular thrombosis was precluded by heparinization. A histological assessment in the acute stage revealed significant morphological alterations in electrocoagulated ulcers, with fibrin deposition, decreased tissue stainability and swelling of the vessel walls, indicating heat-induced damage including cells of the vessel walls. An intravascular occlusive fibrin thrombosis demonstrated in all coagulated ulcers is suggested to be the probable mechanism of hemostasis.