Diagnosis and Treatment Options for Cirrhosis With Unexplained Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: An Observational Study Based on Endoscopic Ultrasonography

Yuchuan Bai; Zhihong Wang; Chen Shi; Lihong Chen; Xuecan Mei; Derun Kong

doi:10.1097/SLE.0000000000001355

Diagnosis and Treatment Options for Cirrhosis With Unexplained Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: An Observational Study Based on Endoscopic Ultrasonography

Surg Laparosc Endosc Percutan Tech. 2025 Jan 15. doi: 10.1097/SLE.0000000000001355. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Yuchuan Bai¹, Zhihong Wang, Chen Shi, Lihong Chen, Xuecan Mei, Derun Kong

Affiliation

¹ Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China.

PMID: 39812070
DOI: 10.1097/SLE.0000000000001355

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the role of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in the diagnosis and treatment of upper gastrointestinal bleeding of unknown origin in liver cirrhosis, focusing on patients with recurrent treatment of esophageal and gastric varices who failed to identify the bleeding site under direct endoscopy.

Background: Esophagogastric variceal bleeding is one of the severe complications of decompensated liver cirrhosis, and serial endoscopic therapy can improve the long-term quality of life of patients. Most acute bleeding can be detected under direct endoscopy with thrombus or active bleeding, but there are still some patients with recurrent bleeding after repeated treatments, and it is difficult to find the bleeding site, especially in gastric variceal bleeding. Therefore, it is of great significance to identify the bleeding site.

Patients and methods: A total of 88 patients with liver cirrhosis bleeding diagnosed and treated under EUS were collected in this study, including 26 patients who failed to identify the bleeding site under direct endoscopy. EUS was used to scan the bleeding site, and EUS-guided treatment was performed. The characteristics of the bleeding site under direct endoscopy and EUS and the follow-up results after surgery were analyzed.

Results: Among the 26 patients, 16 patients (16/26, 61.5%) showed red color signs of gastric fundus mucosa under direct endoscopy, 5 patients (5/26, 19.2%) showed punctate erosion, and the remaining 5 patients (5/26, 19.2%) showed no abnormal mucosal manifestations. All patients could find anechoic blood vessels under EUS, and blood flow signals could be detected within. Among them, 23 patients (23/26, 88.5%) chose EUS-guided treatment, and no rebleeding occurred after surgery. Another 3 patients (3/26, 11.5%) were given endoscopic variceal ligation due to small esophageal and gastric varices and inability to perform intravascular injection. The median follow-up time was 86 days. Adverse reactions included 5 cases of retrosternal pain (5/23, 21.7%), and 1 case of fever (1/23, 4.3%).

Conclusion: EUS can detect submucosal varices in the gastric mucosa, and these bleeding sites may present as red color signs or punctate erosion under direct endoscopy.