B-RTO with Use of Micro-balloon Catheter

Abstract

Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO) has been widely accepted as an effective treatment for gastric varices caused by portal hypertension. With this method, there are two main situations in which use of a micro-balloon catheter is useful. One is gastric varix without gastro-renal shunt for which B-RTO was performed through the pericardiacophrenic vein or inferior phrenic vein. The other is when gastric varix with gastro-renal shunt and communication between gastric varices and systemic vein is also developing, in which case double balloon technique is performed in B-RTO. Paralleling the development of micro-balloon catheters, opportunities to use this device would increase in B-RTO procedure.