Transarterial embolization of acute non-neurologic bleeding using Ethylene Vynil Alcohol Copolymer: a single-Centre retrospective study

BACKGROUND: To evaluate feasibility, safety and effectiveness of transarterial embolization of acute non-neurologic hemorrhage with Ethylene Vynil Alcohol Copolymer (EVOH). METHODS: Between January 2018 and June 2021, 211 patients (male 123, mean age 69.7 y + 17.9) who underwent transarterial embolization with Onyx™ for acute non-neurologic arterial bleeding were retrospectively reviewed. Most frequent etiology of bleeding was post-operative (89/211, 42.2%), trauma (62/211, 29.4%) and tumor (18/211, 8.5%). Technical success was defined as the angiographic evidence of target vessel complete occlusion. Clinical success was defined as resolution of bleeding. Any rebleeding within the primitive site, requiring a new intervention during the first 30-days following embolization, was considered a clinical failure. Occurrence of procedure-related complication and mortality within 30 days of the embolization were examined. RESULTS: A total of 229 embolization procedures was performed in 211 pts.; technical success rate was 99.5% (210/211 pts). Clinical success rate was 94.3% (199/211 pts). In 11 patients (5.2%) a reintervention was needed because of a rebleeding occurring within the primitive site, whereas in five patients (2.4%) rebleeding occurred within a site different from the primitive. Factors more often associated with clinical failure were coagulopathy/ongoing anticoagulant therapy (5/11, 45.4%), and post-operative etiology (3/11, 27.3%). EVOH was used as the sole embolic agent in 214/229 procedures (93.4%), in association with coils in 11 cases (4.8%), and with microparticles in 4 cases (1.7%). In the present series, major complications occurred in 6 cases (2.8%): respectively, four cases (1.9%) of colonic ischemia and two groin hematomas (0.9%) with active extravasation were observed. 26 (12.3%) patients died during the follow-up. CONCLUSION: Embolization of acute arterial bleeding with EVOH as a first-line embolic agent is feasible, safe and effective.