Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration of gastric varices.

Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) of gastric varices is an image-guided transcatheter procedure used to treat gastric varices with sclerosants rather than decompression of the portal venous system. The history of its development, relevant portal venous, and systemic venous anatomic considerations, techniques, indications, and early results will be reviewed. In addition, the status of the practice of BRTO in the United States will be discussed.