“Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB) is one of the most common emergencies in gastroenterology. Despite major improvements in its management, AUGIB continues to be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Bleeding peptic ulcers are one of the principal causes of AUGIB. Endoscopic therapy to bleeding ulcers reduces further bleeding and improves patients’ outcomes.”

“In conclusion, added angiographic embolisation after endoscopic haemostasis has not been shown to improve outcomes in most patients. In a subgroup of patients with larger ulcers, especially in those with shock, angiographic embolisation may be considered to forestall recurrent bleeding. These findings help to refine our selection of patients for angiographic embolisation. The benefit of angiographic embolisation, however, requires confirmation in a further clinical trial.”

Lau JYW, et al. Prophylactic angiographic embolisation after endoscopic control of bleeding to high-risk peptic ulcers: a randomised controlled trial. Gut. 2019 May;68(5):796-803. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2018-316074. Epub 2018 May 25. Full Text for Emory Users