Endoscopic injection of N-Butyl-2-cyanoacrylate is a widely accepted treatment for esophagogastric varices. This procedure is commonly associated with minor complications which include transient pyrexia and abdominal discomfort. Serious vascular complications secondary to systemic embolization of cyanoacrylate have rarely been reported. We describe the CT findings of extensive splenic infarction in a patient following cyanoacrylate injection for gastric varices.
Matched MeSH terms: Esophageal and Gastric Varices/therapy
Variceal bleeding is the most important complication of portal hypertension. Mortality due to the first variceal bleeding is very high (50%) and of those surviving a variceal bleeding episode, up to 80% may rebleed. Proper management of the acute variceal bleeding episode, the prevention of rebleeding and primary prophylaxis for variceal haemorrhage are therefore mandatory in order to improve the morbidity and mortality of cirrhotic patients with variceal bleeding. Injection sclerotherapy would be the treatment of choice for acute variceal bleeding. Drug treatment in the form of either a combined vasopressinnitroglycerin regimen or somatostatin may be used as an alternative. Patients not responding to these treatments should be referred for surgery. For the prevention of variceal rebleeding, non-selective betablockers should be tried first, reserving long-terminjection sclerotherapy for patients with contraindications or intolerance to beta-blockers or in whom beta-blocker therapy has failed. Surgical rescue in the form of either shunt surgery or lever transplantation should be considered if either treatment fails. A new technique, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt (TIPSS) may replace shunt surgery in the future. Beta-blockers is the treatment of choice for primary prophylaxis of variceal haemorrhage and has a role in preventing acute and chronic bleeding from congestive gastropathy. However, the above sequential approach from the least invasive to the more invasive therapeutic options may not be appropriate for all cirrhotic patients with variceal bleeding.
Matched MeSH terms: Esophageal and Gastric Varices/therapy*
Bleeding gastroesophageal varices is associated with a high morbidity and mortality. Forty-four cases of bleeding gastroesophageal varices were treated at the Department of Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur over four and a half years. Thirty-two of them had liver cirrhosis. Hepatitis B infection was noted in 13 and alcoholic abuse was present in 14 patients. Five patients had associated hepatoma. Thirty-four percent had gastric fundal varices and a third of these bled from them. A total of 179 endoscopic injection sclerotherapy sessions were performed averaging 4 per person. Rebleeding rate was 4% and mortality was high (50%) in these cases. It was concluded that injection sclerotherapy is a safe and effective means of controlling bleeding oesophageal varices. Operative surgery was employed in those who rebled after injection and would be considered in those in Child's A.
Matched MeSH terms: Esophageal and Gastric Varices/therapy*