Predictive clinical factors of visible vessel in bleeding peptic ulcer

Which types of non-bleeding visible vessels in gastric peptic ulcers should be treated by endoscopic hemostasis?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Because non-bleeding visible vessels (NBVV) of gastric peptic ulcers have the potential to re-bleed, endoscopic hemostatic treatment may be necessary during the first emergency endoscopy. However, not all NBVV re-bleed, and endoscopic hemostasis sometimes causes fatal side-effects. Therefore, we have evaluated the risk of re-bleeding from various NBVV in gastric peptic ulcers to determine which types should be treated by endoscopy to prevent re-bleeding.

METHODS

A total of 227 NBVV in 202 patients with gastric peptic ulcers that were endoscopically followed without endoscopic hemostatic procedures were classified by the following factors: vessel color, form, location of the NBVV in the ulcer crater, and location of the ulcer in the stomach. The re-bleeding rate was then analyzed for each type of NBVV.

RESULTS

Significantly high rates of re-bleeding were observed in cases with white, protruded and peripheral NBVV. In particular, white NBVV located in the peripheral zone of the ulcer crater were frequent re-bleeding sources. The location of the ulcer in the stomach was not a statistically significant factor in determining re-bleeding rates.

CONCLUSION

We found that white, protruded and peripherally located NBVV in gastric ulcers have a higher chance of re-bleeding if preventive endoscopic hemostatic procedures are not performed.

Hypotension and endoscopic stigmata of recent haemorrhage in bleeding peptic ulcer: risk models for rebleeding and mortality

Clinical and endoscopic data were collected prospectively in 1050 patients with bleeding peptic ulcer admitted between September 1985 and July 1989 to the care of one surgical team. Seventy-nine patients underwent therapeutic endoscopy soon after admission and in 129 patients either immediate or early elective surgery was performed. Eight hundred and forty-two patients, in whom therapeutic endoscopy was not performed at any stage, underwent initial conservative management and data from this latter group are now presented. Shock on admission was defined as systolic blood pressure (BP) less than or equal to 100 mmHg on presentation. There were 10 deaths of 147 shocked patients (6.8%) compared with only 25 deaths of 695 patients (3.6%) not in shock (P less than 0.08). Bleeding recurred in 30 patients (20.4%) shocked on presentation but in only 96 (13.8%) with a BP greater than 100 mmHg (P less than 0.05). Twenty-one of 358 patients (5.9%) with endoscopic stigmata of recent haemorrhage (ESRH) died, but only 14 of 484 patients (2.9%) without such stigmata (P less than 0.05) died. In shocked patients rebleeding was evident in 21 of 73 (28.8%) cases with ESRH but in only 9 of 74 (12.2%) patients in whom ESRH were absent (P less than 0.02). In the absence of fresh blood at endoscopy rebleeding occurred in 22 of 124 (17.8%) shocked patients and only 74 of 629 (11.8%) of those not shocked on presentation (P less than 0.07). When ulcer size was documented rebleeding rates for ulcers less than or equal to 1 cm, less than or equal to 2 cm and greater than 2 cm in size were 54 of 485 (11.1%), 30 of 142 (21.2%) and 12 of 44 (27.3%) respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The endoscopic Doppler: its value in evaluating gastroduodenal ulcers after hemorrhage and as an instrument of control of endoscopic injection therapy

In this prospective study of 80 patients with active bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract a Doppler ultrasonographic investigation of the gastroduodenal ulcers was performed, in addition to immediate endoscopic examination. Admitted to this study were ulcers with the stigmata of acute bleeding, such as a visible blood vessel in the ulcer floor, a blood clot, or a black base and Forrest III lesions. In 52 patients Doppler ultrasonography was able to document unequivocally a superficial blood vessel. Complete agreement of endoscopic and Doppler results was obtained in only 49% of the cases. When a blood vessel was positively identified, local injection of epinephrine and polidocanol was carried out. Thereupon, in the further course, the acoustic signal was shifted into deeper regions or disappeared entirely. In 8% of the cases initial sclerosing was followed by a rebleed, which was again treated by injection therapy. None of the patients died of their GI hemorrhage. Endoscopic Doppler ultrasonography is a new and effective procedure that enables objectification of the endoscopic findings. It identifies the indication for proceeding to operative endoscopy and can monitor the effectiveness of the latter.

Heat probe thermocoagulation and pure alcohol injection in massive peptic ulcer haemorrhage: a prospective, randomised controlled trial

We conducted a prospective randomised controlled trial of 137 patients with massive peptic ulcer haemorrhage over a period of 12 months to compare the haemostatic effects of endoscopic heat probe thermocoagulation and pure alcohol injection. Seventy eight patients (56.9%) were in shock at the time of randomisation to the trial. The age, sex, number of patients in shock, haemoglobin value at the time of entry to the trial, number of patients with severe medical illness, location of bleeders, and stigmata of recent haemorrhage were comparable among the heat probe, pure alcohol, and control groups. The initial haemostatic effect of the heat probe was better than that of the pure alcohol injection (44 of 45 v 31 of 46, p = 0.0004). The ultimate haemostasis achieved by the heat probe group (41 of 45) was better than that of the pure alcohol group (31 of 46, p = 0.012) and of controls (24 of 46, p = 0.0001). The duration of hospital stay was shorter for patients in the heat probe group than for the control group (6.2 days v 13.8 days, p less than 0.05). The incidence of emergency surgery was less for the heat probe than the control group (three of 45 v 12 of 46, p = 0.027). The mortality rate was less in the heat probe than in the control group (one of 45 v seven of 46, p = 0.031). We suggest that heat probe thermocoagulation should be the first treatment of choice for arrest of massive peptic ulcer haemorrhage.

A controlled study of therapeutic endoscopy for peptic ulcer with non-bleeding visible vessel

In a period of 14 months, a prospective, randomized, controlled trial was undertaken in 61 patients who had bled from peptic ulcers in which, at endoscopy, non-bleeding vessels were visible in the ulcer crater. The control group consisted of 31 patients in whom the procedure was limited to observation alone; in 30 patients the ulcer base was coagulated by means of a heat probe. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the rate of rebleeding, the assurance of ultimate hemostasis, the volume of blood transfusion required, the duration of hospitalization, or eventual mortality. However, the need for emergency surgical intervention was less frequent in the heat probe group (2 of 30) than among the controls (9 of 31) (p = 0.0243). Moreover, in the treatment group, those patients of advanced age (greater than 60 years), in shock, requiring blood transfusion of greater than 500 ml, and in whom blood or coffee ground material was seen in the stomach, thermocoagulation achieved statistically more effective hemostasis than that observed in the control group. For these high-risk subsets of patients with non-bleeding visible vessels, we recommend heat probe coagulation rather than mere observation.

Bleeding duodenal ulcer. A prospective evaluation of risk factors for rebleeding and death

There were 12 hospital deaths in 433 patients (2.8%, 1.6% at 30 days) presenting with bleeding duodenal ulcer. Excluding patients who underwent immediate operation or early elective surgery, where ulcer size was measured at initial endoscopy rebleeding was evident in 40/288 patients (13.9%) and was associated with an increased mortality (0.4% v 12.5%) (p less than 0.0001). Rebleeding rates for ulcers less than or equal to 1 cm and greater than 1 cm were respectively 28/239 (11.7%) and 12/49 (24.5%) (p less than 0.02). Rebleeding occurred in 13/186 patients (7.0%) in whom endoscopic stigmata of recent haemorrhage were absent and in 27/102 (26.5%) with such stigmata (p less than 0.0001). The mortality rate for patients without stigmata was 3/186 (1.6%) whilst mortality figures for patients with ulcers less than or equal to 1 cm and greater than 1 cm in size were respectively 0/77 and 3/25 (12.0%) when stigmata were identified. Ulcers greater than 1 cm were more frequent in the greater than 60 year age group, more likely to have stigmata and carried an increased risk of rebleeding and mortality.

Endoscopic treatment of bleeding peptic ulcer

Several endoscopic modalities have the potential of controlling major, life-threatening ulcer bleeding. Although none of the modalities has emerged to be more efficacious than the other, current evidence favours thermal methods and injection therapy. When successful, the endoscopic methods are equally safe (associated with a risk of perforation less than 2%), although a rebleeding rate of 10-30% is of concern. Endoscopic therapy is in general operator-dependent, and the experience of a team is probably more important than the choice of equipment. Selection of patients for endoscopic therapy should be based on the identification of high-risk patients who tolerate rebleeding or surgery poorly, and high-risk lesions likely to rebleed. Endoscopic therapy for ulcer bleeding is simply a new way of applying surgery. Realizing this, it is difficult to understand why therapeutic endoscopy for bleeding ulcer has not yet been widely adopted by surgeons.

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)