Balloon tamponade

Balloon tamponade usually refers to the use of balloons inserted into the esophagus or stomach, and inflated to stop refractory bleeding from vascular structures—including esophageal varices and gastric varices -- in the upper gastrointestinal tract.

There are many different types of balloons manufactured for the purpose of tamponading upper gastrointestinal bleeds, each with different volume capacities and aspiration ports tailored for the specific application.

Examples include:

• Sengstaken-Blakemore tube, with three lumens (two balloons and a gastric aspiration port). Pressure can be applied to gastric and esophageal varices by balloon inflation and traction.
• Linton tube, with a large gastric balloon, and gastric and esophageal aspirates
• Minnesota four-lumen tube, with esophageal and gastric balloons, and esophageal and gastric aspirates.

Balloon tamponade is considered a bridge to more definitive treatment modalities, and is usually administered in the Emergency Department or in the intensive-care unit setting, due to the illness of patients and the complications of the procedure.