Abstract

Background
/Aims: Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) has been increasingly used in the treatment of patients with gastrointestinal bleeding due to improved catheter and guidewire technologies and emergence of safer embolization materials. We evaluated the clinical characteristics of patients in whom TAE was performed and the outcome of the treatment. Methods: Eleven patients (M：F=9：2, mean age=60.6 years) underwent TAE between April 2001 and August 2002. Causes of bleeding were gastric ulcer in 9 cases and duodenal ulcer in 2 cases. Seven patients had comorbid diseases, but 4 patients did not. Results: Successful TAE without rebleeding was achieved in 10 of 11 patients (90.9%). One patient failed to respond to TAE and died due to multiorgan failure. Another patient died due to other causes despite a successful TAE. There were no TAE-related complications. Conclusions: TAE is a safe and effective modality in the treatment of patients with peptic ulcer bleeding who do not respond to endoscopic hemostasis. Thus, TAE seems to be included in the treatment algorithm of peptic ulcer bleeding regardless of surgical risks of patients and be placed before surgery, but prospective randomized studies are needed. (Korean J Gastrointest Endosc 2003;26:125⁣132)

• Keywords: Peptic ulcer bleeding, Transcatheter arterial embolization