title: Treatment of gastric fundal varices by balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration.
abstract: Although less common than oesophageal varices in portal hypertension, gastric fundal varices carry a higher mortality rate when they rupture. They are less amenable to sclerotherapy. We have developed a minimally invasive balloon-occluded retrograde transverse obliteration (B-RTO) procedure to treat gastric fundal varices. B-RTO involves inserting a balloon catheter into an outflow shunt (gastric-renal or gastric-vena caval inferior) via the femoral or internal jugular vein. Blood flow is then blocked by inflating the balloon, and 5% ethanolamine oleate iopamidol is injected in a retrograde manner. The embolized gastric varix subsequently disappears. B-RTO was performed in 32 patients with gastric varices. Follow-up endoscopies were performed at intervals of 2-4 months for an average observation period of 14 months. Eradication of the varices has been confirmed in 31 of 32 patients. No recurrence occurred in any patients in the follow-up period. There were no significant changes in liver function after the procedure. We conclude that B-RTO is a safe and effective procedure for the treatment of gastric fundal varices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine for the Liver, Hokkaido Kin-ikyo Chuo Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanagawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mima
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kouyama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gotoh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okuda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002404:Catheterization; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D016558:Hemostasis, Endoscopic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009829:Oleic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011859:Radiography; D012597:Sclerosing Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015911:Sclerotherapy / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009829:Oleic Acids; D012597:Sclerosing Solutions; C033343:ethanolamine oleate