Successful treatment of gastric bleeding due to left-sided portal hypertension by transcatheter arterial embolization (clinical case report)

Objective: to evaluate the results of transcatheter arterial embolization in patients with acute and chronic pancreatitis complicated by left-sided portal hypertension and bleeding from varicose veins of the stomach fundus and body.

Materials and methods: 5 patients with left-sided portal hypertension were treated. Patients were admitted with a clinical picture of gastrointestinal bleeding, which was confirmed by laboratory and instrumental methods of research. Fibrogastroduodenoscopy revealed bleeding from varicose veins of the fundus and body of the stomach in all patients. The average age was 55.4±3.1 years.

Results. All patients showed varicose veins of the fundus and body of the stomach, with signs of bleeding. Due to the high risk of recurrent bleeding, subtractive digital angiography with no signs of contrast agent extravasation was performed, followed by spiral embolization of the splenic artery in the proximal third until the blood flow was stopped. The technical and clinical success rate was 100%.

Conclusion. Endovascular methods of treatment for left-sided portal hypertension syndrome are minimally invasive but highly effective methods of hemostasis. The indication for their use is unsuccessful endoscopic hemostasis or high risk of recurrence of bleeding from varicose veins of the fundus and body of the stomach.

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