2004 Volume 15 Issue 1 Pages 8-12
A 72-years-old male consulted our hospital for oro-nasal bleeding after surgery for pharyngeal cancer. Systolic blood pressure was 62mmHg, suggesting shock. Neither gauze packing nor insertion of a Bellocq tampon was effective, and we considered that the source of bleeding was the pharynx. Hemostasis for pharyngeal bleeding was difficult, and a Sengastaken-Blakemore tube (S-B tube) was used. The tube facilitated bleeding control, and the circulatory kinetics became stable. Angiography revealed extravascular leakage. Coiling of the left external carotid artery was performed, but complete hemostasis was not achieved without the S-B tube. The inserted S-B tube was dilated for 16 hours, and then removed after hemostasis was confirmed. After removal, no additional bleeding occurred. The S-B tube was useful for achieving hemostasis for oro-nasal bleeding.
