What is esophagogastric tamponade?

Esophagoastric tamponade is a medical procedure that is performed to stop abnormal blood vessel bleeding in the esophagus or stomach. Esophageal or stomach bleeding may occur when the patient has high blood pressure in a portal vein that carries blood from the intestine to the liver. Increased pressure in the portal vein is known as portal hypertension and can be caused by alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis C or other liver diseases. Portal hypertension causes blood to be forced into veins in the stomach and esophagus. The blood flow to the liver is interrupted and the blood flows into the esophageal and stomach vessels instead. These blood vessels are then stretched and expanded and are referred to as gastroesophageal varices. If there is a slight bleeding from gastroesophageal varices, the doctor may first try medication to reduce the blood vessels. Dot of bleeding can be life -threatening and must be stopped immediately.

Esophagogastric tamponade serves as a temporarya means of checking the blood loss. This procedure is performed when the patient is under general anesthesia. A doctor known as a gastroenterologist inserts a long plastic tube, called the Sengstaken-Bikemore tube, into the stomach through the mouth. This tube contains two balloons: a long -shaped balloon that fills the esophagus and a smaller round balloon that fills the stomach. Once in place, the balloons are inflated and exert pressure on any blood vessels that could bleed into the esophagus or stomach.

The

tube used in the esophago -tamponade procedure has two inflation ports that allow inflating the balloon of esophagus or stomach balloon. These ports are also used to deflate balloons when the tube is removed. The tube also has two aspiration ports that allow health sister or physicians suction blood from the stomach.

Since esophagogastric tamponade is performed to temporarily alleviate bleeding, the tube can be in the patient's stomach for only 24 to 48 hours. They can be bary during this timeLone inflated and released several times. Complications may occur when the tube is released or removed, so these procedures must be performed by a practitioner that occurred at the Sengstaken-Bikemore tube. There is a risk that the patient will aspire fluid into the lungs. Baloons deflation can also disrupt the blood vessels that have healed, leading to further bleeding.