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ABSTRACT: Background: Argon plasma coagulation (APC) can achieve an effective coagulation of large areas with a relatively shallow but well-controlled and uniform coagulation depth. There are only a few reports of APC therapy applied to bleeding peptic ulcers, especially ulcers with exposed vessels.Methods: The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of APC as a means of achieving endoscopic hemostasis for bleeding gastroduodenal ulcers. Thirty-nine patients having these ulcers were treated with APC.Results: The success rates for initial hemostasis and complete hemostasis with APC are 87% and 97.4%, respectively. These results are almost equal to those of injection therapy and hemoclip. Six cases that re-bled after other hemostatic procedures obtained complete hemostasis finally with APC. In one ineffective case of APC, complete endoscopic hemostasis was achieved with hemoclip.Conclusion: Argon plasma coagulation therapy is an effective therapeutic alternative in endoscopic hemostasis for bleeding peptic ulcers.
Digestive Endoscopy 09/2008; 14(3):99 - 102. · 1.19 Impact Factor
