Effect of gastric lavage with Hemostasis Powder® on upper gastrointestinal bleeding (Conversion of emergency endoscopy to elective endoscopy)

Background: Gastric lavage has been one of the pillars of the classic treatment for upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) for many years. The present study investigated effect of gastric lavage with hemostatic powder on complications of UGIB. Methods: This clinical trial study was performed on 54 patients who referred to the emergency department during the year 2017-2018. The subjects were divided into two groups (n=27 per group). Gastric lavage with saline and Hemostasis Powder® was performed in the control and intervention groups, respectively. Patients' information was collected and analyzed using SPSS ver. 18. The significance level was also considered as P<0.05%. Results: A total of 59.2% and 18.5% of patients in the gastric lavage with Hemostasis Powder® and saline did not require treatment during the initial endoscopy, respectively (p=0.002). The duration of endoscopy was lower in the intervention group (p=0.001) and there was much time for endoscopy (4.83±8.04 hours vs. 6.73±14.12 hours, respectively) (p=0.001). Also, gastric lavage with Hemostasis Powder® significantly improved the quality of endoscopy (4.1 vs. 2.3). There was no difference between the two groups in terms of the need for blood transfusion. (p=0.4). Conclusion: Gastric lavage with Hemostasis Powder® is a useful measure in the primary care of patients with UGIB and can convert emergency therapeutic endoscopy to diagnostic elective endoscopy of better quality.