A Randomized Trial of Endoscopic Treatment of Acute Gastric Variceal Hemorrhage: N-Butyl-2-Cyanoacrylate Injection Versus Band Ligation

Gastric variceal hemorrhage (GVH) has a poorer prognosis than esophageal variceal hemorrhage. However, data on its optimal treatment are limited. We designed a prospective study to compare the efficacy of endoscopic band ligation (GVL) and endoscopic N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate injection (GVO). Liver cirrhotic patients with or without concomitant hepatocelluar carcinoma (HCC) and patients presenting with acute GVH were randomized into two treatment groups. Forty-eight patients received GVL, and another 49 patients received GVO. Both treatments were equally successful in controlling active bleeding (14/15 vs. 14/15, P = 1.000). More of the patients who underwent GVL had GV rebleeding (GVL vs. GVO, 21/48 vs. 11/49; P = .044). The 2-year and 3-year cumulative rate of GV rebleeding were 63.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 44.5%-81.7%), 72.3% (95% CI, 51.3%-93.3%) for GVL and 26.8% (95% CI, 12.5%-41.1%), 26.8% (95% CI, 12.5%-41.1%) for GVO; P = .0143, log-rank test. The rebleeding risk of GVL sustained throughout the entire follow-up period. Multivariate Cox regression indicated that concomitance with HCC (relative hazard: 2.453, 95% CI: 1.036-5.806, P = .041) and the treatment method (GVL vs. GVO, relative hazard: 2.660, 95% CI: 1.167-6.061, P = .020) were independent factors predictive of GV rebleeding. There was no difference in survival between the two groups. Severe complications due to these two treatments were rare. In conclusion, the efficacy of GVL to control active GVH appears to have no difference with GVO, but GVO is associated with a lower GV rebleeding rate.