title: Application of balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration to gastric varices complicating refractory ascites.
abstract: We report two cases of gastric varices complicated by massive ascites that disappeared after balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO). The first patient had progressive gastric varices that continued to enlarge even after three episodes of esophagogastric variceal bleeding, and the second patient was admitted to our hospital because of the bleeding from gastric varices. After B-RTO procedures in both patients, significant improvement of the ascites, hepatic function reserve, and hypoalbuminemia was observed. Although further experience is needed, our experience points to the likelihood of the amelioration of ascites after B-RTO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kobe University School of Medicine, 7-5-2, Kusunokicho, Chuoku, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Shozo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirota
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Masakatsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsurusaki
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Izaki
authors.forename: Kazuro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001201:Ascites / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D021721:Balloon Occlusion; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed