Comparison of conventional and new endoscopic band ligation devices for colonic diverticular bleeding

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) is used to treat colonic diverticular bleeding (CDB). An endoscopic variceal ligation device for esophageal varices is used as a conventional EBL device (C-EBL). A new EBL device (N-EBL) was developed by Sumitomo Bakelite Co. in August 2018. We aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of N-EBL compared with those of C-EBL. METHODS: Seventy-nine patients who underwent EBL for CDB at St. Luke’s International Hospital, Japan, between 2017 and 2020 were included in this retrospective study. Patients were divided into the C-EBL and N-EBL groups. Their clinical outcomes, including achieving initial hemostasis, early rebleeding, procedure time, and EBL-associated adverse events, were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 79 patients, 36 (45.6%) were in the C-EBL group and 43 (54.4%) were in the N-EBL group. The rate of achieving initial hemostasis was 100% in the C-EBL group and 93.0% in the N-EBL group. No significant difference was noted in the early rebleeding rate between the groups (p=0.24). The N-EBL group achieved a shorter median EBL procedure time than the C-EBL group (14.2 minutes vs. 18.2 minutes, p=0.02). No adverse events were observed in either group. CONCLUSIONS: The N-EBL device is safe and useful and may reduce EBL procedure time.