title: Transarterial embolization for massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage following abdominal surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical results of angiography and embolization for massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage after abdominal surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study included 26 patients with postoperative hemorrhage after abdominal surgery. All patients underwent emergency transarterial angiography, and 21 patients underwent emergency embolization. We retrospectively analyzed the angiographic features and the clinical outcomes of transcatheter arterial embolization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Angiography showed that a discrete bleeding focus was detected in 21 (81%) of 26 patients. Positive angiographic findings included extravasations of contrast medium (n = 9), pseudoaneurysms (n = 9), and fusiform aneurysms (n = 3). Transarterial embolization was technically successful in 21 (95%) of 22 patients. Clinical success was achieved in 18 (82%) of 22 patients. No postembolization complications were observed. Three patients died of rebleeding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The positive rate of angiographic findings in 26 patients with postoperative gastrointestinal hemorrhage was 81%. Transcatheter arterial embolization seems to be an effective and safe method in the management of postoperative gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
authors.affiliation: Chun-Gao Zhou, Hai-Bin Shi, Sheng Liu, Zheng-Qiang Yang, Lin-Bo Zhao, Jin-Guo Xia, Wei-Zhong Zhou, Lin-Sun Li, Department of Interventional Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Gao
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Hai-Bin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zheng-Qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Lin-Bo
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jin-Guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Wei-Zhong
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Lin-Sun
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D004630:Emergencies; D005119:Extravasation of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Materials / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D011859:Radiography; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Complications; Postoperative hemorrhage; Surgery; Transcatheter arterial embolization