Purpose: This manuscript reports on a preliminary experience concerning emborrhoid in patients affected by cirrhotic portal hypertension; furthermore, a novel customized technique of coils release, named "Spaghetti technique," is described.
Materials and methods: Five patients with chronic anemia due to internal hemorrhoidal bleeding and cirrhotic portal hypertension were treated. Clinics and hemoglobin values were evaluated to objectively assess clinical conditions up to 3 months follow-up. Embolizations were performed with fibered coils, oversized, released stretched and not packed.
Results: Technical success, intended as occlusion of all superior hemorrhoidal artery branches, was 100%. In two patients, inferior hemorrhoidal arteries were embolized too. No patients reported major or minor complications. At 3-month follow-up, clinical improvement was obtained in four of the five patients; hemoglobin values improved or remained stable in the whole sample.
Conclusions: Based on this limited experience, emborrhoid seems to be safe and effective at 3-month follow-up to improve symptoms in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension and chronic anemia due to hemorroidal bleeding; the stretched fashion to release oversized coils provides effective embolization.
Keywords: Bleeding; Coiling; Emborrhoid; Hemorrhoids; Portal hypertension; “Spaghetti technique”.