Diagnosis and therapy of gastrointestinal hemorrhage

In the upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopic hemostasis has not replaced surgery, but reduced it to a necessary minimum. Active bleeding can be stanched by the injection method during emergency endoscopy. For bleeding esophageal varices we use polidocanol, in other lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract we apply thrombin and in the lower intestinal tract adrenalin. If endoscopic hemostasis is successful in small bleeding vessels, the efficiency of hemostatic injections can be trusted. Large visible vessels need to be operated early electively. After the introduction of this therapeutic concept, for example the operation frequency in bleeding gastroduodenal ulcers could be reduced from 51% in 1982 to 28% in 1988. Mortality was improved from 22.1% to 4.7%. In gastrointestinal bleeding diagnostic problems occur especially with angio dysplasia in the small intestine and colon. This is due to impaired accessibility in the small intestine and problematic cleaning of the colon. In the intestine surgical therapy of bleeding lesions has very few alternatives, for example palliative embolization of infusion of vasoconstrictiva.     

Use of hemostatic forceps as a preoperative rescue therapy for bleeding peptic ulcers

Standard endoscopic management of bleeding peptic ulcers includes injection, thermal coagulation, or mechanical clipping. The use of hemostatic forceps has increased with the widespread use of endoscopic submucosal dissection to control bleeding. However, there are few reports on the use of hemostatic forceps to control bleeding peptic ulcers. From January to October 2010, four hundred twenty-seven patients received endoscopic therapy at our institution for bleeding peptic ulcers. In 5 patients hemostasis was achieved with hemostatic forceps as a rescue therapy after standard endoscopic therapy had failed. In 4 patients successful hemostasis was achieved, whereas 1 patient had to undergo emergency surgery. We found that hemostatic forceps are a useful alternative for the control of bleeding peptic ulcers after standard endoscopic treatment has failed. This treatment may help in avoiding the necessity of surgery. Further large-scale studies are required to confirm our observations.     

Efficacy of Endoscopic Pure Ethanol Injection Method for Gastrointestinal Ulcer Bleeding

We reviewed endoscopic hemostatic effects of the pure ethanol injection (PEI) method for reducting emergency operations and deaths due to gastroduodenal ulcer bleeding. During 17 years beginning in June 1979 in Tohoku University Hospital, 331 patients underwent endoscopic hemostasis by the PEI method. Initial hemostasis was successfully obtained in all cases. Rebleeding occurred in about 4% of the patients, and rehemostasis was obtained successfully in all of them. Complete hemostasis was obtained in 330 of 331 patients (99.7%) using the PEI method; there were no deaths. Only one patient required emergency operation after hemostasis because of repeated neogenetic bleeding complicated with a perforation and another because of an unidentifiable neogenetic ulcer bleeding located just above the Vater papilla. None required other endoscopic hemostasis or interventional radiology. Moreover, after introduction of “second-look” endoscopy, the rebleeding rate decreased to about 1% with PEI hemostasis. Based on these excellent hemostatic effects of the PEI method, we believe that a comparative study with other hemostatic methods is not needed.     

Non-surgical approach to bleeding gastric ulcer

Bleeding gastric ulcers is a common reason for emergency upper endoscopy in Emergency Center of Clinical Center of Serbia. Randomized controlled trials have shown that endoscopic hemostasis is beneficial for patients with a bleeding peptic ulcer. Aim of this study was to analyze the frequency, etiological factors and localization of bleeding gastric ulcer. At the same time we were evaluated a degree of bleeding activity according to Forrest's classification and modality of performed endoscopic hemostasis. All patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal (UGI) endoscopy for bleeding gastric ulcer in Emergency Center (January 2001 - December 2005.) were identified from an endoscopy database and the clinical records were reviewed retrospectivel. A total of 3954 patients underwent UGI endoscopy for presumed acute UGI hemorrhage. More than thirty % of them (31.1)-1230 had an endoscopic diagnosis of bleeding gastric ulcer. We observed 1230 bleeding patients (60% male and 40% female) with a mean age of 64.3. The commonest localization of bleeding gastric ulcers was antrum (54 - 15%). Percentage of patients who received non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and/or salicilates before bleeding was 54 6%. The main symptom was melaena, which was observed in 82, 44% of patients with bleeding gastric ulcer. According to Forrest's classification of bleeding activity, the most of patients had F IB and F III degree (23, 41% and 22, 76%). Injection endoscopic hemostasis was performed in 26.34% patients, which had active bleeding (F IA, F IB) Hemostasis was initially obtained in 96% of bleeding patients. Bleeding gastric ulcer is one of the commonest endoscopic diagnosis in Emergency Center of Clinical Center of Serbia. The most frequent etiology factor was no--steroid antinflammatory drugs and/or salicilates. Injection endoscopic hemostasis is a safe procedure with a low cost, and, if successful, substantially reduces the need for emergency surgery.     

Surgical management of peptic ulcer disease today – indication, technique and outcome

Aims: The current surgical management of peptic ulcer disease and its outcome have been reviewed. Results: Today, surgery for peptic ulcer disease is largely restricted to the treatment of complications. In peptic ulcer perforation, a conservative treatment trial can be given in selected cases. If laparotomy is necessary, simple closure is sufficient in the large majority of cases, and definitive ulcer surgery to reduce gastric acid secretion is no longer justified in these patients. Laparoscopic surgery for perforated peptic ulcer has failed to prove to be a significant advantage over open surgery. In bleeding peptic ulcers, definitive hemostasis can be achieved by endoscopic treatment in more than 90% of cases. In 1–2% of cases, immediate emergency surgery is necessary. Some ulcers have a high risk of re-bleeding, and early elective surgery might be advisable. Surgical bleeding control can be achieved by direct suture and extraluminal ligation of the gastroduodenal artery or by gastric resection. Benign gastric outlet obstruction can be controlled by endoscopic balloon dilatation in 70% of cases, but gastrojejunostomy or gastric resection are necessary in about 30% of cases. Conclusions: Elective surgery for peptic ulcer disease has been largely abandoned, and bleeding or obstructing ulcers can be managed safely by endoscopic treatment in most cases. However, surgeons will continue to encounter patients with peptic ulcer disease for emergency surgery. Currently, laparoscopic surgery has no proven advantage in peptic ulcer surgery. Received: 11 January 2000 Accepted: 12 January 2000     

Surgical therapy for peptic ulcer and nonvariceal bleeding

Wider use of endoscopic hemostasis in upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) has reduced significantly the need for operation. Nevertheless, surgery still plays a pivotal role. Failure to control bleeding endoscopically should not delay surgery when necessary, and a close cooperation between endoscopists and surgeons is essential. Initial endoscopy stops the bleeding in approximately 94% of patients and helps to identify those patients with a high or low risk of rebleeding. High-risk patients should be examined for rebleeding by clinical and endoscopic assessment within at least the first 2-3 days. Large ulcers are the most likely to rebleed, and in elderly patients with severe comorbidity showing little or no healing tendency, they benefit from repeated fibrin glue treatment. In cases of rebleeding despite initial endoscopic hemostasis and conservative treatment, another attempt to stop the hemorrhage endoscopically is justified in most patients. A subgroup of patients who are old, suffering from hypotension due to rebleeding, with large ulcers and several other illnesses should undergo surgery immediately because endoscopic intervention often fails, and these patients deteriorate quickly. The surgical procedure should be limited to safe hemostasis.     

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding - Review of our ten years results]

Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a common reason for emergency hospitalisation. Early upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is the corner stone of management; the alternative option for achieving primary hemostasis is emergency surgery. The aim of this study was to analyse the frequency of UGIB in the last 10 years and to present our surgical results. We observed 5 955 bleeding patients (68.4 % male and 31.6 % female) with a mean age of 57.7 inverted question mark 15.8 years. The most frequent causes of bleeding were gastric and duodenal ulcers (61 %) followed by gastroduodenal erosions (15.4 %) and varicous veins (5.7 %). Indications for emergency surgery were massive UGIB or rebleeding after active endoscopic treatment. On operation, gastric and duodenal ulcers were responsible for massive UGIB in 86.4 % cases. Overall hospital mortality rate during 10 years was 13.2 % and depended on age and concomitant diseases. In total 5.9 % of operated patients were rebleeding. Those with rebleeding underwent a second operation and showed a statistically higher mortality rate (35.7 % vs 11.8 %) compared to those surgical patients without rebleeding; p < 0.001. The mortality rate after vagotomy and pyloroplasty was 13.2 % (14/106) and did not differ significantly from that after gastric resection (15.2 %; 9/59).     

Technique of Antroduodenectomy Without Ulcer Excision as a Safe Alternative Treatment for Bleeding Chronic Duodenal Ulcers

Background  The treatment of a bleeding chronic posterior duodenal ulcer, with bleeding recurrence or persistence despite endoscopic therapy, requires surgical treatment and constitutes a challenge for the surgeon; furthermore such chronic ulcers are often wide and sclerotic, so the surgeon needs to avoid the risk of recurrent bleeding if conservative surgery is applied. If radical surgery must be performed, the greater risk involves duodenal leakage, hepatic hilar injury, or pancreatic injury. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and complications arising from a surgical procedure, described by Dubois in 1971 (Gastrectomy and gastroduodenal anastomosis for post-bulbar ulcers and peptic ulcers of the second part of the duodenum. J Chir 101:177–186). This operation involves antroduonectomy with gastroduodenal anastomosis. It is similar to a Billroth I gastrectomy but without dissection of the ulcer. Materials and methods  We retrospectively studied the medical data of patients who underwent this procedure for the treatment of bleeding chronic posterior duodenal ulcers during the past 20 years. Results  There were 28 such patients admitted to our institution for emergency surgery, who went on to be treated by the Dubois procedure. Ulcerous disease was efficiently treated without rebleeding or duodenal leakage. The mortality rate was 17%; most deaths resulted from medical failure in older patients suffering from massive bleeding. The rate of medical complications reached 21%. Surgical complications developed in 14% of patients. Conclusions  The Dubois antroduodenectomy is a safe and effective surgical procedure for the treatment of bleeding chronic duodenal ulcers. The number of fatal outcomes among patients with this condition remains high, particularly in older and vulnerable patients experiencing massive bleeding.     

Prevention and treatment of stress-induced ulcers

The data presented show that along with acid-peptic aggression an important role in pathogenesis of stress ulceration in the stomach and duodenum belongs to energy and immune deficiency which makes the correction of these alterations necessary. The timely and valuable conservative therapy including histamine H2-receptor blocking agents in addition to antacids and endoscopic electrocoagulation in case of profuse bleeding from stress ulcers allows to obtain hemostasis and healing of the ulcers more than in 90% of cases. When choosing the surgical method of treatment the preference should be given to atraumatic organ-preserving operations.     

Endoscopic radio wave hemostasis in combined treatment of gastroduodenal ulcers complicated by bleeding

Radiowave hemostasis was used for endoscopic stopping of bleeding from gastric and duodenal ulcers in 96 patients. Primary single radiowave hemostasis permitted to achieve stable effect in 80 (83.3%) patients. After repeated radiowave hemostasis bleeding was completely stopped in 14 (14.6%) patients, 2 (2.1%) patients of this group underwent urgent surgery. On day 10 after radiowave hemostasis 95% of mucosal defects epithialized.     

Bleeding esophageal ulcers caused by NSAIDs

This report describes four patients with NSAID-induced esophageal ulcers documented by endoscopy. The cause of injury was ibuprofen alone in two patients, aspirin in one patient, and a combination of aspirin and ibuprofen in one patient. The most common findings were anemia, retrosternal pain, and dysphagia. Three patients had bleeding esophageal ulcers requiring blood transfusions. One patient had massive bleeding which was controlled by endoscopic hemostasis. Three patients were followed up by endoscopy, which showed healing in 3–4 weeks. These NSAID-induced ulcers had characteristic endoscopic features, namely, a large, shallow, discrete ulcer in the midesophagus near the aortic arch with normal surrounding mucosa. These findings suggest that the injury resulted from mucosal contact with NSAIDs. A precise history and immediate endoscopic examination were most important in establishing the diagnosis of esophageal ulcer. Healing occurs if drug-induced injury is recognized early and treatment is appropriately started with antacids and H₂ blockade. Offending medication should be discontinued and patients should be counseled to take pills in an upright posture with liberal amounts of fluids well before retiring for the night. Received: 5 April 1996/Accepted: 28 May 1996     

Less frequent causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding represents emergency which despites modern advances in treatment still carry substantial mortality. Mortality remained relatively constant in the last 50 years at approximately 12%. Peptic ulcers remain the most common cause of upper GI bleeding and account approximately 50% of all cases. Next leading causes are esophageal and gastric varices, and gastroduodenal erosions. Mallory Weiss tears, angiodysplasia and gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE)-Watermelon stomach are less frequent but important causes of upper GI bleeding that contribute substantially to the overall morbidity and mortality. Recognition of such lesions is crucial to provide effective hemostasis. In most cases endoscopic therapy is procedure of choice which significantly improved the outcome of patients. In cases where endoscopic hemostasis is not effective, or patients rebleed after initial control surgical therapy may be required. This article will review recent advances in diagnosis and therapy of upper GI bleeding caused by Mallory Weiss tears, angiodysplasia or Watermelon stomach.     

Transgastric surgery for posterior juxtacardial ulcers: a minimal and safe approach

HYPOTHESIS: A transgastric approach may be used succesfully for the treatment of posterior juxtacardial ulcers presenting with massive bleeding. METHODS: Eight patients were admitted during a 6-year period with acute massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by posterior juxtacardial ulcers. All patients had signs of profound hypovolemic shock, and initial endoscopic control was achieved in 3 patients. They all underwent surgery after endoscopy. At operation, the ulcer was approached through an anteromedial gastrostomy and hemostasis was achieved by transfixing stitches. Ulcers were excised whenever possible, or excluded if adherent posteriorly. Four-quadrant biopsy was taken for frozen section to exclude malignancy. Both anterior and posterior gastric walls were then closed with nonabsorbable suture material. RESULTS: There were 6 men and 2 women with a mean age of 73 years. Hemoglobin levels ranged from 5.2 to 8.0 g/dL. Five patients underwent emergency surgery within 28 hours of admission. The diameter of the ulcers ranged from 2 to 5 cm. Ulcerectomy was performed in 6 cases. In the remaining 2 patients, the crater of the ulcer was adherent to the diaphragm and required exclusion from the gastrointestinal tract. None of the ulcers proved to be malignant, and there were no operative deaths. Patients were followed up for a mean of 3 years with no complications. CONCLUSIONS: Satisfactory results can be achieved with a transgastric approach to these rare ulcers. This allows definitive treatment while avoiding major gastric resection with its potential complications.     

Reduction of surgery and mortality rate of bleeding peptic ulcer by endoscopic haemostasis with alcohol

Eighty patients with peptic ulcers (45 duodenal ulcers, 30 gastric ulcers, and 5 stomal ulcers) presented at our emergency endoscopy unit with acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage (Forrest Ia, spurting bleeding; Forrest Ib, oozing bleeding) or stigmata of recent bleeding (Forrest II). They were divided into two groups, A and B, according to the day of the week on which emergency endoscopy was performed. Group A, consisting of 39 patients (24 duodenal ulcers, 13 gastric ulcers, and 2 stomal ulcers) was submitted to conventional treatment (blood transfusions, antacids, cimetidine, pirenzepine). Group B consisted of 41 patients (21 duodenal ulcers, 17 gastric ulcers and 3 stomal ulcers) on whom endoscopic haemostatic injection with absolute alcohol (Asaki's method) was performed. Patients of both groups underwent emergency surgery if the haemorrhage did not stop or if it recurred. In 10 cases (4 in group A and 6 in group B), elective surgery was performed, i.e. several days after the bleeding episode under conditions of haemodynamic safety. Endoscopic injection of absolute alcohol succeeded in arresting the haemorrhage in 17 of the 18 Forrest Ia and Ib cases and prevented recurrence in all Forrest II cases. Significant differences were recorded between the two groups as regards the number of patients undergoing surgery (18 to 7), emergency surgery (14 to 1) and the mortality (15% compared to 2.4%). The greatest difference was recorded between the postoperative mortality (27% in group A and 0% in group B).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The treatment in ulcerative hemorrhages in patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension

Treatment of 34 patients with bleedings from chronic gastroduodenal ulcers associated with cirrhosis of the liver and portal hypertension was analysed. Overall lethality was 41.2%, postoperative lethality was 41.7%. Temporary hemostasis due to a solution of Caprofen used during fibrogastroduodenoscopy allows the operation to be delayed and complex intensive therapy can be performed in patients with hepatic insufficiency. Control medical endoscopic investigations should be performed 4 and 12 hours after admission to the hospital of patients with sub- and decompensated cirrhosis of the liver with portal hypertension and symptoms of unstable hemostasis. The emergency and delayed operative treatment of patients with subcompensated hepatic insufficiency should include organ-saving operations such as vagotomy with pyloroplasty and/or dissection of the ulcer. Operation is indicated to patients with cirrhosis of the liver at the stage of decompensation but if they have evident reappearance of bleeding and in minimal volume. The attainment of final endoscopic hemostasis will allow to avoid surgical interventions intolerable for this category of patients.     

Principles and basis of therapeutic tactics in hemorrhagic ulcer

Appraisal of the results of treatment of 1,296 patients with bleeding ulcers among which 565 underwent operation, and the findings of endoscopic, morphofunctional, and immunological studies allowed the authors to suggest a more active surgical tactics and to substantiate the indications for emergency operations. The suggested tactics led to a significant increase of surgical activity, which made it possible to reduce the total mortality among patients with bleeding ulcers to 3.9%, postoperative mortality to 5.6%, and mortality after emergency operations to 6.7%.     

Endoscopic hemostasis of erosive-ulcerous gastroduodenal bleeding with fibrin glue at critically ill patients

Experience of endoscopic hemostasis of acute erosive-ulcerous gastroduodenal bleeding with fibrin glue at critically ill patients is described. This glue is adhesive substance based on high-concentrated solution of fibrinogen (concentration of protein not less 60 g/l). Application of adhesive permitted to stop the bleeding at 84 of 87 extremely seriously ill patients (mean point according to APACHE--II scale was 19.5+/-0.9). Prolonged endoscopic control with repeated application of adhesive permitted to avoid bleeding clinical recurrences, to stop repeatedly with endoscopy 4 of 6 recurrent bleedings, to avoid forced surgery at 80 of these patients. Adhesive accelerated significantly the healing of ulcers despite of hypoxic injury of mucosa. Endoscopic hemostasis permitted to avoid forced surgical aggression, to improve treatment results and to decrease lethality at critically ill patients.     

Surgical management of bleeding chronic peptic ulcer. A 10-year prospective study

Analysis of experience with chronic bleeding peptic ulcer in 504 patients, admitted from 1960 to 1971, shows a hospital mortality of 12%. This retrospective review suggested that early endoscopic diagnosis, adequate resuscitation and a policy of early selective surgery was necessary if mortality was to be reduced. With this policy, there were 37 deaths in 633 patients admitted during the period of prospective study from 1972 to 1982 (5.8%). There were 25 deaths after emergency surgery in 206 patients, 56% of postoperative deaths were related to technical factors and 44% to nontechnical complications. Comparison with the retrospective study from 1961 to 1970 showed, matching in terms of incidence of shock, sex distribution and number of patients over 60 years of age. During this period, 142 emergency operations were performed, with 25 postoperative deaths, an operative mortality of 17.6%. Thirty-five deaths occurred in conservatively treated patients (9.5%) compared with 12 deaths in conservatively treated patients from 1972 to 1982 (2.6%). Within the period of prospective study, there was a significant reduction in mortality from 8%, for the first 5 years, to 3.9% for the second 5 years of study. These two periods matched except for a significant increase in the proportion of patients 60 years and over. This was mainly due to a rise in incidence of aged patients with gastric ulcer. Also noted was a decrease in mortality in patients 60 years and over which reached significance, and a significant decrease in the number of deaths in shocked patients. A significant fall in technically related postoperative complications was noted, from 44 (11 causing death) to 12 (three causing death) during the second 5 years of prospective study. There were 444 patients admitted with bleeding duodenal ulcer with 20 deaths in hospital (4.5%), and 17 deaths in 189 patients admitted with bleeding gastric ulcer, a mortality of 9%. No single factor could be isolated as the reason for the improved results. Possibly the most significant reason is the application of a defined policy in a special unit where staff became familiar with all aspects of the problem of bleeding chronic peptic ulceration.     

Bleeding gastric and duodenal ulcers: endoscopic therapy versus surgery.

From a retrospective review of 156 patients with actively bleeding peptic ulcers, 61 patients had gastric ulcers and 95 patients had duodenal ulcers. Patients presented with hematemesis or melena or a combination of the two. Forty patients with gastric ulcers and 53 patients with duodenal ulcers were in shock. Twenty-five patients with gastric ulcers underwent surgery. Bleeding was controlled in all patients, but in the postoperative period five patients died of myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism or septic multisystem organ failure. Of 36 patients who underwent endoscopic epinephrine sclerosis of the bleeding gastric ulcer, hemorrhage was controlled in 34. Two patients required reoperation for bleeding after surgery; both survived. Fifty patients with duodenal ulcers had surgery. Bleeding was controlled in all patients, but in the postoperative period 10 died of myocardial infarction and multisystem organ failure. Of 45 patients who underwent endoscopic sclerosis, bleeding was controlled in 40. Five patients required reoperation for bleeding after surgery; all survived. The authors conclude that endoscopic sclerosis should be the initial treatment for actively bleeding gastric and duodenal ulcers. If bleeding continues or recurs then surgery should be carried out.     

How evidence-based are current guidelines for managing patients with peptic ulcer bleeding?

Current guidelines for managing ulcer bleeding state that patients with major stigmata should be managed by dual endoscopic therapy (injection with epinephrine plus a thermal or mechanical modality) followed by a high dose intravenous infusion of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). This paper aims to review and critically evaluate evidence supporting the purported superiority of a continuous infusion over less intensive regimens of PPIs administration and the need for adding a second hemostatic endoscopic procedure to epinephrine injection. Systematic searches of PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane library were performed. There is strong evidence for an incremental benefit of PPIs over H2-receptor antagonists or placebo for the outcome of patients with peptic ulcer bleeding following endoscopic hemostasis. However, the benefit of PPIs is unrelated to either the dosage (intensive vs standard regimen) or the route of administration (intravenous vs oral). There is significant heterogeneity among the 15 studies that compared epinephrine with epinephrine plus a second modality, which might preclude the validity of reported summary estimates. Studies without second look endoscopy plus re-treatment of re-bleeding lesions showed a significant benefit of adding a second endoscopic modality for hemostasis, while studies with second-look and re-treatment showed equal efficacy between endoscopic mono and dual therapy. Inconclusive experimental evidence supports the current recommendation of the use of dual endoscopic hemostatic means and infusion of high-dose PPIs as standard therapy for patients with bleeding peptic ulcers. Presently, the combination of epinephrine monotherapy with standard doses of PPIs constitutes an appropriate treatment for the majority of patients.