Superselective arterial embolisation with a liquid polyvinyl alcohol copolymer in patients with acute gastrointestinal haemorrhage.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the results of emergency embolisation in acute arterial bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract with a liquid polyvinyl alcohol copolymer from two centres.


METHODS
We retrospectively analysed 16 cases (15 patients) of acute arterial bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract where emergency embolotherapy was performed by using the copolymer when acute haemorrhage was not treatable with endoscopic techniques alone. Cause of haemorrhage and technical and clinical success were documented.


RESULTS
Arterial embolotherapy was successful in all 16 cases. The technical success rate was 100%. The cause of bleeding was pancreatitis in four, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) of the colon in three, malignancy in three, angiodysplasia in two, ulcer in two and panarteritis nodosa and trauma in one each. There were no procedure-related complications. No bowel necrosis occurred because of embolisation. In 13 cases, the patients were discharged in good condition (81%); the three patients with GVHD died because of the underlying disease.


CONCLUSIONS
The copolymer seems to have great potential in embolotherapy of acute arterial gastrointestinal bleeding. In our series none of the patients had rebleeding at the site of embolisation and no clinically obvious bowel necrosis occurred.
Lenhart
Markus
M
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany. markus.lenhart@sozialstiftung-bamberg.de
Paetzel
Christian
C
Sackmann
Michael
M
Schneider
Hans
H
Jung
Ernst Michael
EM
Schreyer
Andreas G
AG
Feuerbach
Stefan
S
Zorger
Niels
N
D000208:Acute Disease; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D005858:Germany; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006490:Hemostatics; C450660:Onyx copolymer; D011145:Polyvinyls; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide