Effectiveness Study of the BioVac Direct Suction Device in Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Overview

Upper endoscopy is performed for upper gastrointestinal bleeding (bleeding in the esophagus, stomach, or part of the duodenum) to identify and potentially treat the cause of bleeding. However, blood clots often make visualization difficult during endoscopy. The current practice is to try to wash off and suction up these blood clots with the endoscope. However, this is often not successful due to blood clots blocking the suction channel. A new device has been approved by Health Canada that attaches to the endoscope and helps prevent blockage. It is believed that this device will help doctors suck out blood clots and potentially improve visualization, identification of the cause of bleeding, and possibly health outcomes, although this has never been proven. The purpose of the this clinical trial is to test whether the device works and whether it can help patients with this type of bleeding.

STUDY DESIGN: This is a randomized double blind clinical trial of the BioVac suction device versus standard endoscopy suction for UGIB. The study will be performed at London Health Sciences Center Victoria Campus and University Campus with an anticipated recruitment period of 2.5 years. STUDY POPULATION: All patients over the age of 18 admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of UGIB will be considered for recruitment. Patients already admitted to hospital with another diagnosis who develop UGIB will also be included. INTERVENTION: Patients will undergo EGD for UGIB as per standard clinical practice. If the bleeding source is not found within the first 5 minutes (timer starts once EGD passes upper esophageal sphincter) due to blood clots, the patient may benefit from additional suctioning. The patient will be randomized in blocks of 2-6 stratified by site to either the BioVac device or endoscopy suction. Those randomized to the BioVac device will use it to irrigate and suction as much blood as possible until the bleeding source is found or until the endoscopist feels that additional time would not help. Those randomized to endoscopy suction will do the same without the BioVac device. Due to the suctioning power of the study device, a placebo is not possible. Our original intention was to record the endoscopy video to blindly assess the outcome. Unfortunately, this ended up not being possible for technical reasons.