Balloon-occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration for Gastric Variceal Rebleeding

Variceal bleeding is a severe complication of portal hypertension. Gastric variceal bleeding (GVB) is more severe than bleeding from esophageal varices. Gastric varices also have a higher risk of rebleeding than esophageal varices. Previous studies showed that endoscopic injection of cyanoacrylate was superior to endoscopic variceal ligation in the management of gastric variceal bleeding. Another study showed that transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt had a lower rebleeding rate than endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection. However, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is more invasive and carries a risk of development of hepatic encephalopathy and is usually preserved for uncontrolled variceal bleeding. Therefore, endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection is recommended as the treatment of choice for GVB. Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) is a new therapy for gastric variceal bleeding. However, BRTO is associated with increased portal pressure and worsening of ascites, hepatohydrothorax, and esophageal varices. There are only a few retrospective studies comparing BRTO and endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection in the prevention of recurrent gastric variceal bleeding.