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Updated: Jan 6, 2026
Assessment of Plasma Coagulation on Liver Tissue in a Large Animal Model In Vivo
Published on: August 4, 2018
Short and long term response to argon plasma therapy for hemorrhagic radiation proctitis
Elizabeth Montes de Oca Megías1, Maricela Morera Pérez2, Guillermo Noa Pedroso3
1Gastroenterología, Centro Nacional de Cirugía de Mínimo Acceso, Cuba.
Introduction:
hemorrhagic radiation proctitis appears secondary to radiotherapy. Argon plasma is an effective, safe and easy-to-use technique with a relatively low cost.
Objectives:
to describe the short- and long-term response to argon plasma therapy in patients with hemorrhagic radiation proctitis.
Method:
an observational prospective study was performed of a series of 82 patients with hemorrhagic radiation proctitis, attended at the National Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery between 2010 and 2016. Summary measurements and a comparison of means (paired Student's t-test) for the final and initial hemoglobin levels were used. In addition, the Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine the rectal bleeding recurrence free time.
Results:
in the present study, 54.9% of cases required 1-3 argon sessions and 86.6% required 1-5 sessions to resolve the bleeding, with a median of 3.0 sessions. In addition, 4.9% of patients had proctalgia as a complication. There was an improvement in hemoglobin of 2 g/dl. Rectal bleeding recurrence occurred in 8.5% of the patients during the nine months after therapy. Bleeding recurrence free time at three, six and nine months was 98.8%, 96.3% and 91.5%, respectively. Short-term therapy response was observed in all patients and long-term response after one year of follow-up was 91.5%.
Conclusion:
argon plasma coagulation shows a good short- and long-term response with few therapy sessions and a low rate of complications in patients with chronic hemorrhagic radiation proctitis.
