The Role of Interventional Radiology in Esophageal Varices and Hematemesis: Review Article

Esophageal varices and hematemesis in severe cases can lead to significant morbidity and mortality without correct treatment. Esophageal varices and hematemesis can be brought on by a variety of causes, including infection, vascular abnormalities, inflammatory illnesses, trauma, and cancer. Its location, severity, and causes all influence how it is diagnosed, managed, and treated. The field of radiology especially interventional radiology offers quick, efficient, and successful endovascular therapeutic procedures as well as diagnostic imaging tests. Nuclear scintigraphy, computed tomography angiography, and endovascular angiography can all help to pinpoint the cause of bleeding and give the interventional radiologist important information for managing the case. Examples of minimally invasive procedures that have been suggested for the treatment of variceal bleeding include endoscopic sclerotherapy (ES), variceal ligation (EVL), transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), percutaneous trans-hepatic embolization of gastroesophageal varices (PEGV), and other combined therapies. TIPS had a significant drawback in that it might aggravate liver failure and roughly increase the likelihood of encephalopathy while being quite successful in decreasing portal pressure and preventing rebleeding.

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