Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) of gastric varices using foam sclerosant and a reduced balloon inflation time: Feasibility and efficacy.

This technique using a shortened balloon occlusion time resulted in complete or partial clinical and technical success in all patients and suggests that the threshold for initiation of gastric variceal thrombosis may be below 30 min. This timepoint may provide a balance between adequate balloon inflation, angiography room efficiency and hospital resource allocation with resultant procedural cost implications.