Massive lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage from the surgical anastomosis in patients with multiorgan trauma: treatment by subselective embolization with polyvinyl alcohol particles.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of subselective arterial embolization with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles with or without microcoil augmentation to control postoperative lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. METHODS: Ten patients with clinical, scintigraphic, and angiographic evidence of postoperative lower GI bleeding were considered for subselective embolization. Subselective embolizations were performed through coaxial microcatheters with 355-500 micron PVA particles with or without additional coil embolization. RESULTS: Embolization was technically successful in 9 of 10 (90%) patients. In one patient, subselective embolization was not possible; consequently no embolization was performed. Clinical success was achieved after a single embolization in 6 of 10 (60%) patients and after a second embolization in an additional 3 of the 10 (30%) patients. While there was no rebleeding in patients with normal coagulation parameters, all three patients (100%) with coagulopathy rebled, two of them from another source. Although no acute ischemic effects developed, no long-term sequela such as ischemic stricture were specifically looked for. Seven patients developed abdominal discomfort and/or fever within 24-48 hr. Four of 10 patients died of complications other than hemorrhage or ischemia. CONCLUSION: Subselective PVA embolization with or without a microcoil embolization is an effective and safe means of managing postoperative lower GI hemorrhage in patients with multiorgan trauma.

Magnetic resonance imaging of posterior pituitary for evaluation of the neurohypophyseal function in idiopathic and autosomal dominant neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus.

We investigated the role of MR imaging for evaluation of the functional status of the neurohypophyseal system in both idiopathic central diabetes insipidus (DI) and familial autosomal dominant neurohypophyseal DI. The patients and family with DI were analyzed retrospectively for the presence or absence of posterior pituitary gland hyperintense signal on MR images. A total of 19 adult patients with idiopathic central DI, 7 members of a family with autosomal dominant DI and 20 control subjects were included in the study. Diagnosis of idiopathic DI was based on the presence of central DI in the absence of any alteration that is known to be responsible for DI. The patients were studied retrospectively and the morphology and intensity of the posterior lobe by MR imaging was assessed by blinded reading. In all patients with idiopathic central DI and the affected members of the family, the posterior bright signal was absent while the stalk was normal on MR images. In contrast, normal posterior pituitary bright signal and stalk were found in unaffected members of the family and all control subjects. We conclude that MR imaging of the posterior pituitary lobe can be used to evaluate the functional status of the neurohypophyseal system in idiopathic central DI and familial autosomal dominant DI.