Management of Refractory Esophageal Variceal Bleeding when TIPSS Is Not Possible: Review of a Challenging Case

Introduction: Esophageal variceal bleeding (EVB) is a common complication of portal hypertension. Guidelines recommend initiation of vasoactive agents in combination with antimicrobial therapy prior to endoscopic variceal ligation. In cases of refractory EVB, trans-jugular intrahepatic po...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Abdulrahman Qatomah, Ali Bessissow, Yen-I Chen, Talat Bessissow, Amine Benmassaoud
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Karger Publishers 2025-02-01
Series:Case Reports in Gastroenterology
Online Access:https://karger.com/article/doi/10.1159/000543537
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Summary:Introduction: Esophageal variceal bleeding (EVB) is a common complication of portal hypertension. Guidelines recommend initiation of vasoactive agents in combination with antimicrobial therapy prior to endoscopic variceal ligation. In cases of refractory EVB, trans-jugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPSS) is recommended; however, it is contraindicated in up to 35% of cases. Case Presentation: We report a case of a 61-year-old male newly diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma and extensive portal vein thrombosis. The patient developed a refractory EVB failing medical and endoscopic therapies which was successfully treated with transcutaneous left gastric vein embolization (LGVE). Conclusion: LGVE could be contemplated in instances where anatomical complexities or contraindications to TIPSS arise.
ISSN:1662-0631