Living with gastric varices is dangerous because these enlarged veins in the stomach can bleed unexpectedly. Doctors have several ways to treat them, but finding the safest and most effective method is vital for patient safety. This review looked at data from 760 patients to compare different treatment methods.
Researchers found that using an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) to guide cyanoacrylate injections led to significantly lower rebleeding rates compared to standard endoscopic injections. Specifically, combining EUS-guided injections with coils also showed a much lower risk of bleeding again. While several treatments were compared, the study did not find one specific method to be significantly better at completely closing the veins.
Safety is another major concern for patients. The study found that EUS-guided injections, thrombin injections, and large-volume band ligation all had lower rates of adverse events than standard endoscopic cyanoacrylate injections. However, it is important to note that the quality of the evidence was very low. Because the data is limited, more high-quality trials are needed before doctors can make firm conclusions about which treatment is best.
