Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Coil Embolization With Absorbable Gelatin Sponge Appears Superior to Traditional Cyanoacrylate Injection for the Treatment of Gastric Varices

Gastric variceal (GV) bleeding is a feared complication of cirrhosis. Traditional endoscopic treatment with cyanoacrylate (CYA) injection can be challenging. Alternatively, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided delivery of hemostatic coils has shown high therapeutic success without the complications profile of CYA alone. Our aim was to compare the clinical outcomes of EUS-guided coil embolization with endoscopic CYA injection for the treatment of GV. METHODS: We performed a matched cohort study using a prospective registry involving 2 tertiary centers. A total of 10 patients undergoing EUS-based coil therapy were matched in 1:3 fashion to 30 patients who underwent CYA injection. The matching criteria included type of GV, Charlson comorbidity index, and bleeding severity. Primary outcomes were technical success and complications. Secondary outcomes were rebleeding rates, reinterventions rates, total transfusion requirements, and time-to-event analysis (rebleeding, reintervention, and transfusion). RESULTS: Technical success was 100% for EUS coil therapy vs 96.7% for CYA injection (P = 1.0). Complication rates were 10% in the EUS coil group vs 20% in the CYA group; P = 0.65. At 9 months, no EUS coil patient had rebled compared with 38% of the CYA group. No EUS coil patient required blood transfusion for GV rebleed, whereas over 50% of CYA patients did. Ten percent of EUS coil patients required reintervention compared with 60% of CYA patients. The EUS coil group had superior time to reintervention, GV rebleed, and transfusions (all P < 0.05). DISCUSSION: Compared with CYA, EUS-guided coil injection appears superior for the treatment of GV and should be considered initial endoscopic treatment of choice in centers with interventional EUS expertise.