Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration

Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration
Other namesBRTO
SpecialtyInterventional radiology

Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) is an endovascular procedure used for the treatment of gastric varices. When performing the procedure, an interventional radiologist accesses blood vessels using a catheter, inflates a balloon (e.g. balloon occlusion) and injects a substance into the variceal blood vessels that causes blockage of those vessels. To prevent the flow of the agent out of the intended site (variceal blood vessels), a balloon is inflated during the procedure, which occludes.

Medical uses

BRTO is used for the treatment of bleeding from gastric varices. In addition to transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), BRTO is a first line treatment for the prevention of recurrent bleeding from gastric varices (GOV2 or IGV1).[1] BRTO may be used for the treatment of ectopic varices.[1]

Complications

As BRTO results in a blockage of a portosystemic shunt, the procedure may result in increased portal hypertension, which may worsen esophageal varices or ascites.[2][1]

History

BRTO was developed as a procedure in the early 1990s.[2] Initially, the procedure was performed using ethanolamine oleate as a sclerosant.[2][3] Between 2006 and 2007, American physicians began using sodium tetradecyl sulfate (3% STS) as an alternative sclerosing agent.[2][3]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Garcia-Tsao, G; Abraldes, JG; Berzigotti, A; Bosch, J (January 2017). "Portal hypertensive bleeding in cirrhosis: Risk stratification, diagnosis, and management: 2016 practice guidance by the American Association for the study of liver diseases". Hepatology. 65 (1): 310–335. doi:10.1002/hep.28906. PMID 27786365. S2CID 963110.
  2. ^ a b c d Saad, Wael (June 2012). "Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration of Gastric Varices: Concept, Basic Techniques, and Outcomes". Seminars in Interventional Radiology. 29 (2): 118–128. doi:10.1055/s-0032-1312573. PMC 3444869. PMID 23729982.
  3. ^ a b Kobayakawa, M; Ohnishi, S; Suzuki, H (March 2019). "Recent development of balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration". Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 34 (3): 495–500. doi:10.1111/jgh.14463. PMID 30170340. S2CID 52141861.