Mysuru:  Narayana Multispecialty Hospital emerges as a centre of excellence for treating GI Bleeds. It is not uncommon for us to hear of someone having vomited blood in massive volumes. Such incidents are medical emergency cases, as more the blood loss, closer the patient gets to danger.

First and foremost, the patient must promptly be taken to the nearest hospital which has a reputed emergency management unit. Such vomit normally takes place in people who are hypertensive, and who suffer particularly from one form of high blood pressure known as portal hypertension.  Portal hypertension, it means pressure exerted by blood — in this case high pressure — on Liver veins which transport blood filtered by the liver and liver’s deoxygenated blood. This blood is normally used by the colon, pancreas, stomach and small intestine.

Due to high pressure, one of these veins bursts at a site called varices, which is a cluster of veins located in the gastric system. Under normal blood pressure these clusters behave normally, but when the pressure mounts, one or more of these veins try to find alternative routes to pass on blood; but since there are none, the vein bursts, sending a jet of blood into the stomach. Stomach is made to hold food and not handle blood, and the result is a vomit full of it.

Camera-fitted endoscope exam normally reveals the site of bleed, and as soon as the site is known measures are taken to control it. Earlier treatment included using glue on the bleed to stop it from flowing out, but there were reports of re-bleed as the glue would come off. With an emergent new technology camera-guided endoscopic ultrasound, one can see the exact site of bleed and the same is stopped by coiling a metal-looking ring made of Platinum. This stops the bleeding instantly and over a period closes the opening.

Dr. A.K. Satheesh Rao, Chief Gastroenterologist, said, “We successfully handled several such cases, with this new technique to control this type of gastric bleeding. The recurrence of re-bleed has not been reported thus far. The greatest advantage with such procedures includes affordable cost of treatment, good results and early discharge.”

Marketing Head K.V. Kamath was present during the press meet.