Gelfoam embolization of the left gastric artery for bleeding ulcer: experimental considerations

A bleeding gastric ulcer was surgically created in 18 dogs, and the left gastric artery was successfully catheterized by percutaneous techniques in 15. Nine of these dogs were treated with vasopressin infusion which did not arrest the hemorrhage. A total of 11 dogs (five of them following unsuccessful vasopressin therapy) underwent embolization with strips of Gelfoam, and hemorrhage stopped in ten. This technique of embolization is concluded to be of value in the management of gastric hemorrhage.