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  • Title: The long-term outcome of patients with bleeding gastric varices after balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration.
    Author: Hiraga N, Aikata H, Takaki S, Kodama H, Shirakawa H, Imamura M, Kawakami Y, Takahashi S, Toyota N, Ito K, Tanaka S, Kitamoto M, Chayama K.
    Journal: J Gastroenterol; 2007 Aug; 42(8):663-72. PubMed ID: 17701130.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the long-term outcome and complications of balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO) in patients with hemorrhage from gastric fundal varices. METHODS: Thirty-four consecutive patients with bleeding from gastric varices who were treated with B-RTO were enrolled in this study between December 1994 and September 2005 (urgent cases, n = 12; elective cases, n = 22). The long-term outcome, complications, and various liver functions were evaluated. RESULTS: Complete obliteration was achieved in 31 of 34 (91%) patients with an acute bleeding episode. In one of the remaining patients, there was a technical failure, and the other two had only partial obliteration. The two patients with partial obliteration did not obtain hemostasis. Thus, the rate of hemostasis was 94% (31/33). Gastric varices disappeared in all patients with complete obliteration during the treatment. The rate of gastric variceal eradication was 91%. Variceal rebleeding from esophageal varices occurred in three patients. The rate of rebleeding was 10% (3/31). Rebleeding from gastric varices was not observed after complete obliteration. None of the patients showed worsening of their Child-Pugh score. Although the 5-year cumulative worsening rate of esophageal varices was 52%, neither portal hypertensive gastropathy nor ectopic varices were observed. The patients with worsening esophageal varices were successfully treated with an endoscopic procedure. The 5-year survival rate was 68%. CONCLUSIONS: B-RTO is useful for treatment of bleeding gastric varices, achieving high eradication of gastric varices, a low rebleeding rate, and a fairly good prognosis with improved hepatic function.
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