Imaging and intervention in gastrointestinal hemorrhage and ischemia

Abstract

Acute gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a frequent cause of hospitalization of patients that commonly present melena, hematemesis, or hematochezia. The source of most bleedings can usually be identified through an initial work-up including barium studies and endoscopy; however, 5% of all patients with intestinal bleeding have obscure bleeding in which no definitive source has been identified though routine diagnostic examinations [1]. Detection and localization of the source of acute Intraabdominal hemorrhage is one of the major challenges in the early diagnostic workup of acute intraperitoneal bleeding. It is very helpful in providing prompt hemostasis accomplished by means of transarterial embolization or surgery. © 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.