Acute pulmonary embolism following endoscopic sclerotherapy for gastroesophageal variceal hemorrhage: A case report and literature review

Pulmonary Embolization After Gastric Varices Obliteration

N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NB2CYA) is frequently used in the treatment of variceal hemorrhage with a success rate in hemostatic control of 87%-100%. Although rare, complications include esophageal perforation, infection, or arterial and venous embolization. We present the case of a 67-year-old male with chronic ethanolic liver disease hospitalized due to melena and hematemesis. He had anemia requiring transfusion support, octreotide, and pantoprazole infusion. Upper digestive endoscopy was performed showing gastric varices with a hemorrhagic rupture point treated with cyanoacrylate. The patient developed respiratory failure over the next 48 hours with chest computed tomography (CT) angiography showing several dense, scattered linear images, with arterial vascular trajectories suggestive of cyanoacrylate embolization. It was decided to provide ventilatory support with invasive mechanical ventilation, initiate systemic corticosteroid therapy, and transfer the patient to the intensive care unit (ICU). The patient was ventilated for 11 days with initial favorable evolution, but after two episodes of decompensation of his chronic liver disease (CLD) (hepatic encephalopathy and hepatorenal syndrome) and a new nosocomial pneumonia, he ended up dying. The present case illustrates a rare but potentially fatal complication associated with cyanoacrylate, highlighting the importance of a high suspicion index in cases of respiratory failure and dyspnea after this therapy.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided coil deployment with sclerotherapy for gastric varices

We present a case of gastric varices (GV) in the fundus treated by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided coil deployment with sclerotherapy. A 46-year-old man with a previous history of fatty liver and obesity presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain. Contrast computed tomography (CT) showed chronic liver disease, splenomegaly, and GV. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) showed GV in the fundus. Follow-up EGD 6 months later revealed an increase in GV diameter to over 20 mm. Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration appeared difficult due to the small caliber of the gastrorenal shunt observed on contrast CT. We performed EUS-guided coil deployment with sclerotherapy. The coil was deployed using a 19-gauge needle under EUS and fluoroscopic guidance. Next, 5% ethanolamine oleate with contrast medium was injected into GV using a 22-gauge needle. GV was reduced without complications, and no GV growth or hemorrhage was observed during 8 months of follow-up.