Balloon Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration Versus Endoscopic Cyanoacrylate in Bleeding Gastric Varices: Comparison of Rebleeding and Mortality with Extended Follow-up.

Purpose: To assess short- and long-term mortality and rebleeding with endoscopic cyanoacrylate (EC) versus balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO).

Materials And Methods: A retrospective cohort comparison was conducted of 90 EC patients and 71 BRTO patients from 1997 through 2015 with portal hypertension who presented due to endoscopically confirmed bleeding cardiofundal gastric varices. Patients underwent either endoscopic intra-varix injection of 4-carbon-n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate or sclerosis with sodium tetradecyl sulfate with balloon occlusion for primary variceal treatment.

Flight data recorder for interventional radiology.

To test process improvement strategies, a recording system in a new pediatric interventional radiology suite was installed modeled after the flight data recorders found in modern aviation. Using the resulting data from these recordings, a variety of quality and safety improvement projects were planned including improving timeout performance and optimizing radiation use. There were several challenges, including balancing the need to protect patients during efforts to improve teamwork.

Special article: retained guidewires after intraoperative placement of central venous catheters.

Guidewire retention is a rare complication of central venous catheter placement, and has been related to operator fatigue, inexperience, and inattention, and inadequate supervision of trainees. The true incidence of guidewire loss after intraoperative placement of central venous catheters is unknown. We report 4 cases of guidewire loss after central venous access procedures performed by anesthesia providers in the operating room.