Current endoscopic therapy of variceal bleeding.

Variceal ligation has proved more effective and safer than sclerotherapy and is currently the endoscopic treatment of choice for oesophageal varices. In acute bleeding, vasoactive drugs should be started before endoscopy and maintained for 2-5 days. The efficacy of drugs is improved when associated with emergency endoscopic therapy. Antibiotic prophylaxis should also be used. To prevent rebleeding, both endoscopic ligation and the combination of beta-blockers and nitrates may be used. Adding beta-blockers improves the efficacy of ligation. Haemodynamic responders to beta-blockers+/-nitrates (those with a decrease in portal pressure gradient HVPG to <12 mmHg or by >20% of baseline) have a marked reduction in the risk of haemorrhage and will not need further treatment. Beta-blockers significantly reduce the risk of a first haemorrhage in patients with large varices, and they improve survival. As compared to beta-blockers, endoscopic ligation reduces the risk of first bleeding without affecting mortality, and should be used in patients with contraindications or intolerance to beta-blockers.

A case-control study of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunts for patients admitted to intensive care following variceal bleeding.

INTRODUCTION: Variceal bleeding has a 6-week mortality of 20%. Recent evidence suggests that early covered transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunts (TIPSS) can improve outcomes following a variceal bleed in selected patients. We aim to assess the outcomes following the insertion of covered TIPSS in a real-life intensive care setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective matched cohort study of all patients referred for TIPSS with variceal bleeding admitted to intensive care (2007-2009). Patients were matched with others admitted to intensive therapy unit following a variceal bleed but did not proceed to TIPSS. All TIPSS procedures were carried out using polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stents. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients [mean age 55.2 years; mean model for end-stage liver disease (MELD)=14.0; and median follow-up 458 days] were assessed. Nineteen underwent TIPSS and were well matched to the controls. All patients received terlipressin and antibiotics and 86% had active bleeding at endoscopy. Indication for TIPSS was salvage therapy (47%), rebleeding after day 5 (11%) and as secondary prophylaxis (42%). There was 34% all-cause inpatient mortality. The TIPSS group had lower mortality than the non-TIPSS group at 6 weeks (10.5 vs. 47.4%, P<0.05) that persisted at 1 year (21.1 vs. 52.6%, P<0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated MELD [HR 1.131, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.018-1.257] and TIPSS (HR 0.301, 95% CI 0.091-0.995) as significant predictors of mortality (P<0.05). TIPSS was found to significantly reduce the incidence of failure to control bleeding and rebleeding (HR 0.120, 95% CI 0.015-0.978, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with recent severe variceal bleeding admitted to intensive care have significantly better outcomes following covered TIPSS insertion. These findings should be validated in randomized-controlled trials.

When endoscopic therapy or pharmacotherapy fails to control variceal bleeding: what should be done? Immediate control of bleeding by TIPS?

BACKGROUND: Acute variceal bleeding is the major cause of death in patients with chronic liver disease. This justifies the search for a more effective therapy to achieve rapid and definitive hemostasis in every patient. At present, the recommended standard treatment for acute variceal bleeding consists of immediate drug treatment with terlipressin or octreotide together with early endoscopic band ligation or sclerotherapy. In the case of ectopic varices terlipressin and cyanoacrylate embolization (if varices can be reached by endoscope) are in use. FOCUS: The treatment is considered to have failed when bleeding continues or significant bleeding recurs within 48 h. This indicates the need for emergency transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting (TIPS) which has been regarded as rescue treatment of choice when standard treatment fails. Although randomized studies against supportive treatment are lacking, the high efficacy and relatively low mortality after TIPS implantation are convincing. It is reasonable that smaller shunts should be preferred (probably 8 mm in diameter) since most patients have an increased risk of liver failure. To increase the effect of the shunt with respect to acute hemostasis it should be combined with transjugular embolization of the varices. CONCLUSION: Only strict adherence to the definition of failure of standard treatment and a generous indication to the TIPS implantation before multiorgan failure occurs may decrease the high mortality of acute variceal bleeding.