Efficacy of polyglycolic acid sheets and fibrin glue for prevention of bleeding after gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection in patients under continued antithrombotic agents

Background A novel method for the prevention of bleeding after gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is necessary, as the numbers of patients taking antithrombotic agents have increased. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of the covering method using polyglycolic acid (PGA) sheets and fibrin glue for ESD-induced ulcer in preventing post-ESD bleeding in patients under continued antithrombotic agents. Methods One hundred five consecutive gastric tumors among 84 patients who were treated by ESD under continued antithrombotic agents between April 2014 and September 2015 were enrolled in this study. The patients were classified into two groups, the covering group (52 lesions among 38 patients; those with ESD in whom PGA sheets and fibrin glue were used as the covering method) and the control group (53 lesions among 46 patients; ESD only), and their post-ESD bleeding rates were compared. Results No significant differences were seen in the number and type of antithrombotic agents, lesion location, median procedure time, and median resected specimen size between the groups. ESD was completed in all cases, with no cases of uncontrollable bleeding during the procedure. Post-ESD bleeding occurred in 5.8% (3/52) and 20.8% (11/53) in the covering and control groups, respectively. The post-ESD bleeding rate significantly differed between the groups ( P = 0.04; odds ratio, 0.23; 95% confidential interval, 0.06–0.89). No adverse events were associated with the use of PGA sheets and fibrin glue. Conclusions The covering method using PGA sheets and fibrin glue has the potential to reduce post-ESD bleeding in patients receiving continued antithrombotic agents.