Project description:BackgroundEndoscopic band ligation (EBL) is generally accepted as the treatment of choice for bleeding from esophageal varices. It is also used for secondary prophylaxis of esophageal variceal hemorrhage. However, there is no data or guidelines concerning endoscopic control of ligation ulcers. We conducted a retrospective study of EBL procedures analyzing bleeding complications after EBL.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed data from patients who underwent EBL. We analyzed several data points, including indication for the procedure, bleeding events and the time interval between EBL and bleeding.Results255 patients and 387 ligation sessions were included in the analysis. We observed an overall bleeding rate after EBL of 7.8%. Bleeding events after elective treatment (3.9%) were significantly lower than those after treatment for acute variceal hemorrhage (12.1%). The number of bleeding events from ligation ulcers and variceal rebleeding was 14 and 15, respectively. The bleeding rate from the ligation site in the group who underwent emergency ligation was 7.1% and 0.5% in the group who underwent elective ligation. Incidence of variceal rebleeding did not vary significantly. Seventy-five percent of all bleeding episodes after elective treatment occurred within four days after EBL. 20/22 of bleeding events after emergency ligation occurred within 11 days after treatment. Elective EBL has a lower risk of bleeding from treatment-induced ulceration than emergency ligation.ConclusionsPatients who underwent EBL for treatment of acute variceal bleeding should be kept under medical surveillance for 11 days. After elective EBL, it may be reasonable to restrict the period of surveillance to four days or even perform the procedure in an out-patient setting.
Project description:Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) has been used to achieve hemostasis in patients with colonic diverticular bleeding. The safety and effectiveness of EBL when performed by non-expert endoscopists have not been sufficiently verified. This study aimed to elucidate the feasibility of the EBL technique when performed by non-expert endoscopists and of considering EBL as a standard treatment for colonic diverticular bleeding.A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a tertiary referral center in Tokyo, Japan, between June 2009 and October 2014. A total of 95 patients treated with EBL were included in the study and were divided into two groups according to whether they had been treated by expert or non-expert endoscopists. Comorbidities, medications, shock index, hemoglobin level on admission, location of the bleeding diverticula, rate of bowel preparation, procedure time, and EBL-associated adverse events were evaluated in each group. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to investigate factors related to EBL procedure time, which is the time elapsed between marking the site of bleeding with hemoclips and completion of the band release.A total of 47 (49.5 %) procedures were performed by expert endoscopists. In a bivariate analysis, the median EBL procedure times in the expert and non-expert groups were 15 minutes (range 4 - 45) and 11 minutes (range 4 - 36), respectively (P = 0.03). When a multivariate linear regression model was used, EBL for right-sided diverticula was the factor most significantly affecting EBL procedure time. No adverse events were encountered.EBL can be safely and effectively performed by non-expert endoscopists. A right-sided location of diverticula was the factor most significantly affecting EBL procedure time.
Project description:Background/aimsThe appropriate number of band ligations during the first endoscopic session for acute variceal bleeding is debatable. We aimed to compare the technical aspects of endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) in patients with variceal bleeding according to the number of bands placed per session.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed multicenter data from patients who underwent EVL for acute variceal bleeding. Patients were classified into minimal EVL (targeting only the foci with active bleeding or stigmata of recent bleeding) and maximal EVL (targeting potential bleeding sources in addition to the aforementioned targets) groups. The primary endpoint was 5-day treatment failure. The secondary endpoints were 30-day rebleeding, 30-day mortality, and intraprocedural adverse events.ResultsMinimal EVL was associated with lower rates of hypoxia and shock during EVL than maximal EVL (hypoxia, 0.9% vs 2.9%; shock, 1.3% vs 3.4%). However, treatment failure was higher in the minimal EVL group than in the maximal EVL group (odds ratio, 1.60; 95% confidence interval, 1.06 to 2.41). Age ≥60 years, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score ≥15, Child-Turcotte-Pugh classification C, presence of hepatocellular carcinoma, and systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg at initial presentation were also associated with treatment failure. In contrast, 30-day rebleeding and 30-day mortality did not differ between the minimal and maximal EVL groups.ConclusionsGiven that minimal EVL was associated with a high risk of treatment failure, maximal EVL may be a better option for variceal bleeding. However, the minimal EVL strategy should be considered in select patients because it does not affect 30-day rebleeding and mortality.
Project description:PurposeBenefits of prophylactic platelet (PLT) transfusion before dentoalveolar surgery are unclear. This study investigated the effect of prophylactic PLT transfusions on the incidence of postoperative bleeding (POB) in patients with thrombocytopenia and a PLT count ≤ 75*109/L.MethodsThe cohort in this retrospective study comprised 83 patients with thrombocytopenia ≤ 75*109/L who had undergone dentoalveolar surgery. Exclusion criteria were other coagulation deficiencies or medications that would affect hemostasis. In all, 144 teeth had been removed. POB events were extracted and compared between the group that had received prophylactic PLT transfusion before dentoalveolar surgery and the group that had not.ResultsPOB events were observed in 5 of 83 patients (6.0%) who had a median PLT count of 35*109/L before any transfusion. The group with no postoperative bleeding (NPOB) had a median PLT count of 34*109/L. Two (4.2%) of the 48 patients who had received prophylactic PLT transfusions before dentoalveolar surgery developed POB. Three (8.6%) of the 35 patients who had not received a transfusion experienced POB. The difference between these two groups was not significant (p = 0.646). When two or more teeth were removed in the same session, a significantly higher incidence of POB was observed (p = 0.042).ConclusionsOur data indicate that prophylactic PLT transfusions in thrombocytopenic patients with PLT counts ≤ 75*109/L do not reduce the incidence of POB after dentoalveolar surgery. However, caution is warranted when extracting multiple teeth in the same surgical session since we found this to be significantly associated with an increased risk of POB.