[Transcatheter arterial embolization in the management of duodenal bleeding]

Emergency transcatheter arterial embolization was performed in 6 patients with massive duodenal bleeding. Three out of 6 patients were bleeding from duodenal ulcer and erosion, 2 from aneurysm of the gastroduodenal artery (GDA) and 1 from duodenal tumor. In 4 cases, complete and permanent cessation of bleeding was obtained by GDA embolization alone and additional pancreatico-duodenal artery embolization were necessary for hemostasis in 2 patients with GDA pseudoaneurysm. One patient maintained by hemodialysis had complication of duodenal infarction and pancreas necrosis following this procedure. Emergency embolization represents a useful alternative to the operative management of massive duodenal bleeding and should be the initial treatment of choice in those patients.