Simple method for inflating and measuring oesophageal balloon pressure of Sengstaken-Blakemore tube.

摘要

It is generally agreed that active variceal haemorrhage not responsive to endoscopic sclerotherapy, ligation or pharmacological therapy should be temporarily controlled by balloon tamponade. Although balloon tamponade using the Sengstaken-Blakemore (SB) tube is effective in achieving haemostasis in patients with acute bleeding from ruptured oesophageal varices, it has a significant complication rate. Inflating the oesophageal balloon to a pressure of 40 mmHg is important, which should be adequate to compress the varices without compromising the arterial supply of the oesophageal mucosa. The pressure in the oesophageal balloon should be monitored every hour by the nursing staff. Classically, the modified sphygmomanometer was used to inflate and measure oesophageal balloon pressure of SB tube. This piece of equipment is not easily available in many emergency settings that rarely use the SB tube. McCormick et al. had improvised a method for inflating and measuring oesophageal balloon pressure using a three-way connector and a standard sphygmomanometer. Now, we describe an alternative method of inflating and measuring oesophageal balloon pressure of SB tube. The equipment is readily accessible, simple to assemble and easy to use.