EUS-guided gastric variceal coil embolization

What are Gastric Varices?

Patient with cirrhosis of the liver can develop many complications including bleeding.  In cirrhotic patients, bleeding can be caused by abnormally congested veins in the stomach called gastric varices (GV).  They can sometimes bleed and cause patients to vomit or excrete large amounts of blood; some of these bleeds can be life threatening.

How do you treat Gastric Varices?

GV can be challenging to manage.  The injection of glue and metal coils into GVs has been shown to be effective to plug up these vessels and treat/prevent bleeding.  Other forms of treatment include shunting blood away from the liver system via a TIPS (transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt) – which may decompress GVs.

Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) allows for the most direct route and visualization of gastric varices and can be used to insert both metal coils and glue to obliterate gastric varices. This technique has shown to have excellent technical, clinical outcomes with minimal adverse events and rebleeding.

EUS-guided gastric variceal therapy in Dallas, Tx

Are you interested in learning more about EUS-guided gastric variceal therapy, or other treatment options? We invite you to contact us to learn more. Dr. Prashant Kedia is a therapeutic endoscopist and gastroenterologist serving patients in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and beyond. Call today to schedule an appointment at (214) 941-6891.

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