Colonic diverticular hemorrhage: the hood method for detecting responsible diverticula and endoscopic band ligation for hemostasis

Background and study aims: Although colonic diverticular hemorrhage is a common cause of lower gastrointestinal bleeding, the low rate of detection of the diverticula responsible for bleeding, together with inadequate evaluation of endoscopic hemostasis, remain unsatisfactory.

Patients and methods: Over 3 years, we employed the hood method to diagnose diverticular hemorrhage in 53 patients and applied endoscopic band ligation (EBL) for hemostasis in 27 patients with responsible diverticula.

Results: The hood method revealed active bleeding in 13 patients (24.5 %), nonbleeding visible vessels in 14 patients (26.4 %), and presumptive diverticular hemorrhage in 26 patients (49.1 %). The nonbleeding visible vessels were located in the diverticular dome in 13 patients and at the diverticular orifice in one patient. EBL was performed in 27 patients, and a hemostasis rate of 96.3 % was achieved. In 9 of 12 patients treated with EBL, follow-up colonoscopy revealed resolution of the responsible diverticula.

Conclusions: The hood method improves the detection rate of diverticula responsible for bleeding by revealing potential nonbleeding visible vessels in the diverticular dome. EBL may become an effective procedure for hemostasis of colonic diverticular hemorrhage.

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