Splenic infarction after N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate injection for gastric varices: why does it happen?

Recent guidelines and consensus reports recommend endoscopic injection therapy with N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate as the first-line treatment for bleeding-isolated gastric varices and gastroesophageal varices types 1 and 2. Embolization is a rare but serious complication of cyanoacrylate injection, which may be fatal in some cases. Herein, we present a patient who developed splenic infarction after N-butyl-cyanoacrylate injection for gastroesophageal varices type 2 and discuss the potential reasons and tips to prevent the occurence of embolization.