Safety Profile of Particle Embolization for Treatment of Acute Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding

To assess ischemic adverse events following particle embolization when used as a second-line embolic to coil embolization for the treatment of acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB).

The single-institution retrospective study examined 154 procedures where embolization was attempted for LGIB. In 122 patients (64 men; mean age, 69.9 years), embolization was successfully performed using microcoils in 73 procedures, particles in 34 procedures, and both microcoils and particles in 27 procedures. Particles were used as second-line only when coil embolization was infeasible or inadequate. Technical success was defined as angiographic cessation of active extravasation after embolization. Clinical success was defined as the absence of recurrent bleeding within 30 days of embolization.

Technical success for embolization of LGIB was achieved in 87% of the cases (134/154); clinical success rate was 76.1% (102/134) among the technically successful cases. Clinical success was 82.2% (60/73) for coils alone and 68.9% (42/61) for particles with or without coils. Severe adverse events involving embolization-induced bowel ischemia occurred in 3 of 56 (5.3%) patients who underwent particle embolization with or without coils versus zero of 66 patients when coils alone were used (P = .09). In patients who had colonoscopy or bowel resection within 2 weeks of embolization, ischemic findings attributable to the procedure were found in 3 of the 15 who underwent embolization with coils alone versus 8 of 18 who underwent embolization with particles with or without coils (P = .27).

Particle embolization for the treatment of LGIB as second-line to coil embolization was associated with a 68.9% clinical success rate and a 5.3% rate of ischemia-related adverse events.