Clinical application of argon plasma coagulation in endoscopic hemostasis for non-ulcer non-variceal gastrointestinal bleeding--a pilot study in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
Argon plasma coagulation is an innovative non-touch electrocoagulation technique. A broad spectrum of indications has been proposed for argon plasma coagulation since its introduction into endoscopy in 1991. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of utilizing argon plasma coagulation in the endoscopic hemostasis of non-ulcer, non-variceal gastrointestinal bleeding in Taiwan.


METHODS
A total of 26 consecutive patients (15 men, 11 women; mean age: 67.6 years) underwent argon plasma coagulation treatment between May 1999 and August 2000. Causes of bleeding included angiodysplasia in 3, tumor bleeding in 8, radiation colitis in 11, watermelon stomach in 1, Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome in 1, and post-intervention in 2. Argon plasma coagulation was performed in 2 patients with bleeders in the esophagus, 10 in the stomach, 1 in the stomach and duodenum, and 13 in the colon.


RESULTS
A total of 38 sessions of application in 26 patients were performed. Successful endoscopic argon plasma coagulation treatment was achieved in 21 (80.8%) patients. Neither complication nor mortality related to argon plasma coagulation was observed in these 26 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Argon plasma coagulation is a safe, efficacious, and low-cost hemostatic modality for non-ulcer, non-variceal gastrointestinal bleeding. It is mandatory to establish a comparative trial with other treatment modalities with a longer follow-up in the future.
Chang
Yu-Ting
YT
Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Wang
Hsiu-Po
HP
Huang
Shih-Pei
SP
Lee
Yi-Chia
YC
Chang
Ming-Chu
MC
Wu
Ming-Shiang
MS
Lin
Jaw-Town
JT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001128:Argon; D004564:Electrocoagulation; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000601:surgery*; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013624:Taiwan; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001128:Argon