Coil-assisted retrograde transvenous obliteration for gastric varices in a Chinese case

Gastric varices are a major complication of portal hypertension in patients with liver cirrhosis and are associated with more massive bleeding events and higher mortality rate. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) and balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) have been well documented as effective therapies for portal hypertensive gastric variceal bleeding. In China, TIPS are well accepted but BRTO is not well recieved due to the increase risk of complications associated with traditional BRTO. However, modified-BRTO, known as coil-assisted and plug-assisted retrograde transvenous obliteration (CARTO and PARTO, respectively), is receiving increased attention due to devoid of BRTO’s shortcomings. No CARTO case from China has been reported in literature thus far. Here, we present a Chinese case of CARTO to treat gastric varices bleeding.