EUS-guided Glue Injection for Varices Study

NCT ID: NCT02672319

Last Updated: 2020-10-27

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

30 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2014-04-30

Study Completion Date

2020-06-30

Brief Summary

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Bleeding from gastroesophageal varices is one of the major complications of cirrhosis. After successful treatment of the acute bleeding episode, patients who do not receive follow-up treatment to prevent rebleeding were reported to have a rebleeding rate of 60% within 1- 2 years. The presence of liver cancer and/or portal vein thrombosis has been associated with recurrent variceal bleeding. In a study of liver cancer patients in Hong Kong, 7.9% of patients developed at least 1 episode of variceal bleeding over the course of liver cancer.

In patients with portal hypertension from cirrhosis, current guidelines recommend non-selective beta-blocker, endoscopic band ligation for esophageal varices after initial bleeding, and either cyanoacrylate injection for variceal obturation or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for gastric varices after initial bleeding. However, it is unclear whether the above strategies will have the same clinical effect for patients with liver cancer and/or portal vein thrombosis who are at high risk for recurrent bleeding.

Recently, the technique of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided cyanoacrylate (glue) injection for variceal obturation has been described. In a study of patients with gastric variceal bleeding, EUS guided glue injection and coiling was reported to achieve hemostasis in all patients and 96% of the gastric varices remained obliterated during the follow-up period. To date, there has been no dedicated study to evaluate the role of EUS guided glue injection for prevention of future bleeding in patients at high risk for recurrent variceal bleeding such as those with liver cancer or portal vein thrombosis.

The investigators propose this study to evaluate the feasibility and safety of EUS guided glue injection for follow-up variceal treatment in patients at high risk for recurrent variceal bleeding, such as those with liver cancer and/or portal vein thrombosis.

Detailed Description

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Gastroesophageal variceal bleeding is one of the major complications of cirrhosis and occurs at a rate of 5 to 15% per year. 50% of patients with cirrhosis develop variceal bleeding during their lifetime. Large varix size, presence of red wale signs on endoscopy, and decompensated cirrhosis are predictors of variceal hemorrhage. Current first-line management of acute variceal bleeding includes a combination of vasoactive drug, endoscopic therapy and antibiotic prophylaxis. Despite advances in the management of acute variceal bleeding, the 6-week mortality remains significant at 15 - 20% per episode of variceal bleeding.

In patients who survive the acute variceal bleeding episode but without secondary prophylaxis, the median rebleeding rate is about 60% within 1- 2 years of the index bleeding with a mortality of 33%. The presence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and/or portal vein thrombosis (PVT) have been associated with recurrent variceal bleeding and worse outcome. In a retrospective study of 2928 HCC patients in Hong Kong, 7.9% of the patients developed at least 1 episode of variceal bleeding over the course of HCC. In cirrhotic patients with PVT but without HCC, variceal bleeding is not an uncommon complication.

In patients with portal hypertension from cirrhosis, current guidelines recommend non-selective beta-blocker, endoscopic band ligation for esophageal varices after initial bleeding, and either cyanoacrylate injection for variceal obturation or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for gastric varices after initial bleeding. However, it is unclear whether the above strategies will have the same clinical effect for patients with liver cancer and/or portal vein thrombosis who are at high risk for recurrent bleeding.

Recently, the technique of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided cyanoacrylate (glue) injection for variceal obturation has been described. In a study of patients with gastric variceal bleeding, EUS guided glue injection and coiling was reported to achieve hemostasis in all patients and 96% of the gastric varices remained obliterated during the follow-up period. To date, there has been no dedicated study to evaluate the role of EUS guided glue injection for prevention of future bleeding in patients at high risk for recurrent variceal bleeding such as those with liver cancer or portal vein thrombosis.

The investigators propose this study to evaluate the feasibility and safety of EUS guided glue injection for follow-up variceal treatment in patients at high risk for recurrent variceal bleeding, such as those with liver cancer and/or portal vein thrombosis.

Conditions

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Gastroesophageal Varices

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Comparison of clinical outcomes of a prospective study cohort to those in a historical control group
Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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EUS-guided glue injection

Gastroesophageal varices \> 3mm in diameter will be treated with EUS guided cyanoacrylate injection for variceal obturation in standard fashion. A conventional 19G needle (19G-Echotip needle, Cook Medical, USA) will be advanced into the target varix under real-time EUS guidance. Cyanoacrylate injection (Histoacryl, B. Braun Surgical, Germany) will be performed according to established protocol. Each aliquot of cyanoacrylate injection will consist of 0.5ml of Histoacryl + 0.7ml of lipiodol. 1 - 3 aliquots of cyanoacrylate injection may be given depending on the number of varices needed to be treated. EUS with colour Doppler will be used to monitor obliteration of blood flow in varices during and after cyanoacrylate injection.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

EUS-guided glue injection

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Experimental: EUS-guided glue injection Gastroesophageal varices \> 3mm in diameter will be treated with EUS guided cyanoacrylate injection for variceal obturation in standard fashion. A conventional 19G needle (19G-Echotip needle, Cook Medical, USA) will be advanced into the target varix under real-time EUS guidance. Cyanoacrylate injection (Histoacryl, B. Braun Surgical, Germany) will be performed according to established protocol. Each aliquot of cyanoacrylate injection will consist of 0.5ml of Histoacryl + 0.7ml of lipiodol. 1 - 3 aliquots of cyanoacrylate injection may be given depending on the number of varices needed to be treated. EUS with colour Doppler will be used to monitor obliteration of blood flow in varices during and after cyanoacrylate injection.

Historical control

A historical control group of HCC patients with gastroesophageal variceal bleeding who underwent conventional cyanoacrylate injection by OGD for index variceal bleeding based on de-identified data from an existing prospective GI bleed database from 2009-2013 would also be included to allow a more meaningful interpretation of the rebleeding rate from gastroesophageal varices from this study.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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EUS-guided glue injection

Experimental: EUS-guided glue injection Gastroesophageal varices \> 3mm in diameter will be treated with EUS guided cyanoacrylate injection for variceal obturation in standard fashion. A conventional 19G needle (19G-Echotip needle, Cook Medical, USA) will be advanced into the target varix under real-time EUS guidance. Cyanoacrylate injection (Histoacryl, B. Braun Surgical, Germany) will be performed according to established protocol. Each aliquot of cyanoacrylate injection will consist of 0.5ml of Histoacryl + 0.7ml of lipiodol. 1 - 3 aliquots of cyanoacrylate injection may be given depending on the number of varices needed to be treated. EUS with colour Doppler will be used to monitor obliteration of blood flow in varices during and after cyanoacrylate injection.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Consecutive patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer), and/or portal vein thrombosis, who have presented with gastroesophageal variceal bleeding within 12 weeks
* Age \> 18 years
* Written informed consent available

Exclusion Criteria

* Contraindications for endoscopy due to comorbidities
* Unable to provide written informed consent
* Refractory coagulopathy (INR\>1.5) or refractory thrombocytopenia (platelets \<50,000) despite blood product transfusion
* Pregnant patients
* Moribund patients from terminal illnesses
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

85 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Chinese University of Hong Kong

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Raymond Shing Yan Tang

Clinical Professional Consultant

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Raymond S Tang, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Chinese University of Hong Kong

Locations

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The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong, , Hong Kong

Site Status

Countries

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Hong Kong

Other Identifiers

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EUS Glue Study

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id