Effectiveness of high-dose barium enema filling for colonic diverticular bleeding

Abstract

Aim: Therapeutic barium enema was first reported in 1970. The long-term recurrence rate of colonic diverticular bleeding after therapeutic barium enema was compared with that of endoscopic haemostasis.

Method: This study included 57 consecutive patients admitted between 2003 and 2008 with colonic diverticular bleeding in whom conservative treatment failed to stop bleeding within 3 h of hospital admission. Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed immediately after admission. In 75% of patients, bleeding was from the right colon, and any identifiable source of bleeding was treated by endoscopic haemostasis. Cases with an undetectable source received high-dose barium impaction therapy.

Results: Treatment was as follows: Group A (n = 37) solely by endoscopic haemostasis; Group B (n = 11) solely by therapeutic barium enema group, and Group C (n = 9) by endoscopic haemostasis and therapeutic barium enema. At a follow up of seven (median; range: 1-56) months, recurrent bleeding rates were 18/37 (48.6%), 6/11 (54.5%) and 2/9 (22.2%) (P = 0.3930).

Conclusion: High-dose barium enema is as effective as endoscopic haemostasis for the prevention of recurrent diverticular bleeding.