Background: Endoscopic therapy is a safe and effective method for treating non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. However failure of therapy, in terms of continuing bleeding or rebleeding, is seen in up to 20%. Cyanoacrylate is a tissue glue used for variceal bleeding that has occasionally been reported as an alternative haemostatic technique in non-variceal haemorrhage.
Aim: To retrospectively describe personal experience using cyanoacrylate injection in the management of bleeding ulcers after failure of first-line endoscopic modalities.
Patients and methods: Between January 1995 and March 1998, 18 [12 M/6 F, mean age 68.1 years) out of 176 patients, referred to our Unit for non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding, were treated with intralesional injection of adrenaline plus undiluted cyanoacrylate. Persistent bleeding after endoscopic haemostasis or early rebleeding were the indications for cyanoacrylate treatment.
Results: Definitive haemostasis was achieved in 17 out of 18 patients treated with cyanoacrylate. One patient needed surgery. No early or late rebleeding occurred during the follow-up. No complications or instrument lesions related to cyanoacrylate were recorded.
Conclusions: In our retrospective series, cyanoacrylate plus adrenaline injection was found to be a potentially safe and effective alternative to endoscopic haemostasis when conventional treatment modalities fail in controlling bleeding from gastroduodenal ulcers.