REVIEW   

Journal of Radiological Review 2020 May-June;7(3):173-84

DOI: 10.23736/S2723-9284.20.00025-4

Copyright © 2020 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English, Italian

Role of interventional radiology in managing gastrointestinal bleedings

Francesco GIURAZZA ¹ ✉, Fabio CORVINO ¹, Antonio BORZELLI ¹, Antonio CORVINO ², Raffaella NIOLA ¹

¹ Department of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Cardarelli Hospital, Naples, Italy; ² Department of Motor Science and Wellness, Parthenope University, Naples, Italy

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a very common condition in clinical practice, with an incidence of about 50-150 cases per 100,000 population, prevalent in adults. Traditionally, GI hemorrhage is split into upper and lower bleedings, according to the ligament of Treitz, the first being more common. With modern imaging and endoscopic techniques, the majority of patients with GI bleeding are appropriately diagnosed and treated. Interventional radiology (IR) is established as the second-line intervention for upper GI bleeding when esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy fails to control bleeding and the first-line intervention in lower GI bleeding when medical management is ineffective. This paper reviews the role of IR in the management of acute GI bleeding, focusing on indications, techniques, outcomes and procedural complications. A well-structured emergency treatment and timely diagnostic approach, based on multidisciplinary cooperation, can significantly reduce mortality rates in these patients.

KEY WORDS: Embolization, therapeutic; Radiology, interventional; Gastrointestinal hemorrhage