title: Esophageal tamponade in the management of acute variceal hemorrhage.
abstract: Over a seven-year period, 138 patients with portal hypertension presented on 223 occasions with endoscopically proven acute variceal hemorrhage. Hemorrhage ceased spontaneously on 92 occasions (41%). On 126 occasions (57%) passage of the four-lumen modification of the Sengstaken-Blakemore tube was required, and hemorrhage was successfully controlled in 98%. Intubation was refused on five occasions (2%). Hemorrhage recurred during these 223 admissions on 47 occasions (21%); on 11 occasions a second rebleed occurred and on two occasions, a third. Tamponade was required during all of these rebleeds and arrest of hemorrhage was achieved in 87%. Hemorrhage in patients with poorer modified Child's grade was less likely to cease with intubation. The overall rate of control in the 186 episodes of hemorrhage requiring tamponade was 94%. There were 28 complications attributed to the use of tamponade in 186 episodes of hemorrhage (15%). On 12 occasions these complications proved fatal (6.4%). In four further patients failure of tamponade to control hemorrhage was fatal.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Surgery, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Haddock
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Garden
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: McKee
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Carter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D021721:Balloon Occlusion; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000150:complications*; D004947:Esophagus; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006489:Hemostatic Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012597:Sclerosing Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D012597:Sclerosing Solutions