The Department of Hepatology at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research has introduced a new method to address complications associated with liver cirrhosis. Developed by Dr. Sahaj Rathi and his team, this technique, called endoscopic ultrasound-guided transgastric shunt obliteration (ETSO), offers a promising solution.
Patients with cirrhosis sometimes develop shunts, passages that allow fluid movement between body parts, leading to symptoms like brain fog and bleeding from swollen stomach veins. Traditionally, these shunts were treated using balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BTRO), but not all patients could access this due to cost or technical limitations.
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The new method utilizes endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) to locate and block bleeding vessels in the stomach with a special glue and coils. It boasts reduced costs and shorter procedure times compared to previous techniques. Moreover, it can be performed gradually, which is beneficial for patients with compromised liver function.
The effectiveness of this technique was demonstrated at the Digestive Disease Week congress in San Diego, USA, in 2022. Subsequently, the team published their findings in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, detailing successful cases.
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According to a PGI spokesperson, the method has already treated over 12 cases of hepatic encephalopathy and more than 20 cases of gastric varices. This innovation signifies a significant advancement in the treatment of liver cirrhosis complications, offering hope for patients facing these challenges.
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