The role of the Doppler ultrasound probe in acute peptic ulcer hemorrhage: preliminary endoscopic results

Background and aim: Endoscopic risk stratification and the need of endoscopic hemostatic treatment of acute ulcer hemorrhage at present mostly depend upon visual impressions such as stigmata of recent hemorrhage (SRH). However, regardless of SRH ulcer patients with underlying blood flow are at risk of recurrent bleeding, which is a well-known and leading independent predictor factor of patient mortality. Actual rebleed rates correlate with underlying patent vessels in ulcers and blood flow, recently detectable by endoscopic Doppler ultrasound probes (DUP). A pilot trial was conducted to determine whether DUP can…