Esophageal tamponade for bleeding varices. Controlled trial between the Sengstaken-Blakemore tube and the Linton-Nachlas tube.
To investigate the effectiveness and safety of the Sengstaken-Blakemore (SB) tube compared with the Linton-Nachlas (LN) tube, a randomized clinical trial was carried out between both types of balloon. Seventy-nine patients suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding attributed to esophagogastric varices were included in the study. Both types of esophageal tamponade showed great effectiveness in obtaining primary hemostasis (86%), but when the bleeding was from esophageal varices, the SB tube achieved permanent hemostasis more frequently (52%) than did the LN tube (30%). In bleeding gastric varices the SB tube failed in all of the cases, but primary hemostasis was obtained with the LN tube in 50% of them. Better tolerance and greater effectiveness were obtained when the SB tube was applied without external traction. The usefulness of esophageal tamponade for bleeding varices was higher when performed within 6 hr of the onset of hemorrhage.
D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000628:therapy*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000628:therapy; D006489:Hemostatic Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013630:Tampons, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors