What if endoscopic hemostasis fails? Alternative treatment strategies: interventional radiology

Abstract

Since the 1960s, interventional radiology has played a role in the management of gastrointestinal bleeding. What began primarily as a diagnostic modality has evolved into much more of a therapeutic tool. And although the frequency of gastrointestinal bleeding has diminished thanks to management by pharmacologic and endoscopic methods, the need for additional invasive interventions still exists. Transcatheter angiography and intervention is a fundamental step in the algorithm for the treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Keywords: Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding; Embolization; Endoscopic hemostasis; Interventional radiology; Treatment.