Endoscopic vacuum therapy for the management of nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding: a valuable resource for the endoscopist's toolbox.

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) is a well-established method for managing gastrointestinal perforations. During the COVID pandemic, case reports demonstrated the effective use of EVT in controlling COVID-related diffuse duodenal bleeding. Owing to its unique mechanism of action, this approach may also be effective for other types of nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB). This study aimed to assess EVT in the treatment of NVUGIB.

METHODS

This retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database included patients who underwent EVT for the treatment of NVUGIB. The primary outcome was clinical success. Secondary outcomes included technical success and safety. Subgroup analysis comparing the outcomes for patients with and without COVID was conducted.

RESULTS

19 patients underwent EVT for NVUGIB, with 57.9% having failed other therapies. Technical success occurred in all patients, and clinical success was achieved in 89.5%. There was no difference in the clinical success rates between patients with or without COVID (88% versus 91%, respectively). No procedure-related adverse events occurred.

CONCLUSION

EVT appears to be safe and effective in the management of NVUGIB. This approach could be particularly useful in refractory or diffuse bleeding. Larger studies are warranted to validate these findings.