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DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-966370
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York
Gastric fundal varices with an exposed microcoil after the combined BRTO and PTO therapy
H. Kawamoto
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine
Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences
2-5-1 Shikata-cho
Okayama
700-8558
Japan
Fax: +81-86-223-5991
Email: h-kawamo@md.okayama-u.ac.jp
Publication History
Publication Date:
24 October 2007 (online)
A 74-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with tarry stool as his chief complaint. He had been suffering from liver cirrhosis (type C) and had a clinical history of receiving treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma. Emergency upper endoscopic examination revealed gastric fundal varices with an erosion, in which a red spot was observed ([Fig. 1]) [1]. There were no other lesions which would result in tarry stool, including the esophageal varices. We therefore concluded that this red spot had caused gastric variceal hemorrhage. We performed a combined balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) procedure and percutaneous transhepatic obliteration (PTO) [2]. Percutaneous transhepatic portographic images showed that the afferent vein of the gastric varices consisted mainly of the posterior gastric vein ([Fig. 2 a]) and short gastric vein ([Fig. 2 b]), and that the efferent vein was the gastrorenal shunt [3]. Some microcoils were placed in the short gastric vein [4]. An occlusive balloon catheter was inserted through the gastrorenal shunt. The sclerosing agent used for BRTO was slowly infused through the posterior gastric vein in a antegrade manner [2]. In addition, some microcoils were also placed in the posterior gastric vein. Follow-up endoscopic examination after 10 days showed that the microcoil was exposed in the gastric erosion, and contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomographic images revealed no enhancement of the gastric varices. We therefore concluded that the gastric varices were completely thrombosed ([Fig. 3]). Follow-up endoscopic examination after 2 months showed disappearance of the gastric varices ([Fig. 4]).
Although endoscopic treatment options for gastric variceal hemorrhage, such as the injection of cyanoacrylate-based tissue adhesives, alcohol, sclerosants, and the use of band ligation, have been studied, the efficacy or superiority of one therapy over another remains controversial [5]. However, combined BRTO and PTO therapy can obstruct both the feeding and the draining veins of gastric varices, and we suggest that this method can be more effective than the alternatives [2]. In addition, exposure of the microcoil in gastric varices is rare, but is one of the signs of thrombus formation in gastric varices.
Endoscopy_UCTN_Code_CCL_1AB_2AD_3AZ
#References
- 1 Sarin S K, Lahoti D, Saxena S P. et al . Prevalence, classification and natural history of gastric varices: a long-term follow-up study in 568 portal hypertension patients. Hepatology. 1992; 16 1343-1349
- 2 Arai H, Abe T, Takagi H. et al . Efficacy of balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration, percutaneous transhepatic obliteration and combined techniques for the management of gastric fundal varices. World J Gastroenterol. 2006; 12 3866-3873
- 3 Kiyosue H, Mori H, Matsumoto S. et al . Transcatheter obliteration of gastric varices. Part 1. Anatomic classification. Radiographics. 2003; 23 911-920
- 4 Kiyosue H, Mori H, Matsumoto S. et al . Transcatheter obliteration of gastric varices. Part 2. Strategy and techniques based on hemodynamic features. Radiographics. 2003; 23 921-937
- 5 Qureshi W, Adler D G, Davila R. et al . ASGE Guideline: the role of endoscopy in the management of variceal hemorrhage, updated July 2005. Gastrointest Endosc. 2005; 62 651-655
H. Kawamoto
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine
Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences
2-5-1 Shikata-cho
Okayama
700-8558
Japan
Fax: +81-86-223-5991
Email: h-kawamo@md.okayama-u.ac.jp
References
- 1 Sarin S K, Lahoti D, Saxena S P. et al . Prevalence, classification and natural history of gastric varices: a long-term follow-up study in 568 portal hypertension patients. Hepatology. 1992; 16 1343-1349
- 2 Arai H, Abe T, Takagi H. et al . Efficacy of balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration, percutaneous transhepatic obliteration and combined techniques for the management of gastric fundal varices. World J Gastroenterol. 2006; 12 3866-3873
- 3 Kiyosue H, Mori H, Matsumoto S. et al . Transcatheter obliteration of gastric varices. Part 1. Anatomic classification. Radiographics. 2003; 23 911-920
- 4 Kiyosue H, Mori H, Matsumoto S. et al . Transcatheter obliteration of gastric varices. Part 2. Strategy and techniques based on hemodynamic features. Radiographics. 2003; 23 921-937
- 5 Qureshi W, Adler D G, Davila R. et al . ASGE Guideline: the role of endoscopy in the management of variceal hemorrhage, updated July 2005. Gastrointest Endosc. 2005; 62 651-655
H. Kawamoto
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine
Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences
2-5-1 Shikata-cho
Okayama
700-8558
Japan
Fax: +81-86-223-5991
Email: h-kawamo@md.okayama-u.ac.jp