Technical Considerations and Management of Complications in GI Interventions

Keith Quencer, MD

I want to thank Thieme and Dr. Kapoor for allowing me to be the guest editor for this special issue of Digestive Diseases interventions, on Technical Considerations and Management of Complications in GI Interventions. As Atul Gawande said in his highly acclaimed 2002 book Complications: A Surgeon's Note on an Imperfect Science, “We look for medicine to be an orderly field of knowledge and procedure. But it is not. It is an imperfect science, an enterprise of constantly changing knowledge, uncertain information....” In this issue, we update the uncertain and changing knowledge on certain digestive diseases interventions including drainage, splenic embolization, celiac block, and bariatric embolization with special focus within each article on complications.

First, an original scientific retrospective paper reviewed the single institution rate of inadvertent traversal of bowel during image guided drainage catheter placement, a complication which has not been published in a systematic study since 1985. Clinical outcome in these patients is also described.

Next, the focused issue turns toward splenic embolization. This includes a review on embolization's essential role in trauma patients and a systematic review article with illustrative cases regarding the role of partial splenic artery embolization in the treatment of portal hypertension.

Finally, updated reviews on various topics are included. A review on image guided celiac plexus block and neurolysis provides a comprehensive and well-illustrated review on indications, technique, complications, and outcomes on celiac plexus blocks in chronic abdominal pain. Then a review provides insight into techniques, complications, and future directions of bariatric embolization. Finally, a review article on mesenteric ischemia including mesenteric venous thrombosis and non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia presents endovascular, surgical, and medical approaches to mesenteric ischemia.

Hopefully, this issue will be useful to the readership in multiple facets of patient care.

Publication History

Article published online:
16 November 2022