A 50-year-old man is treated in the intensive care unit for massive hematemesis. He has a history of severe alcohol use disorder and decompensated cirrhosis. Upon admission, he was tachycardic and hypotensive, requiring prompt endotracheal intubation for airway protection. He has been receiving aggressive resuscitation with intravenous crystalloids, matched packed red blood cells, continuous octreotide infusion, and prophylactic ceftriaxone. An urgent esophagogastroduodenoscopy was attempted but aborted; pooling blood completely obscured the visualization of the esophageal mucosa, precluding any endoscopic band ligation or sclerotherapy. Currently, his blood pressure is 78/48 mm Hg and his heart rate is 132/min. The critical care team determines that a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is indicated, but the interventional radiology team states that the procedure cannot be initiated for another 90 minutes. Which of the following is the most appropriate immediate procedural intervention for this patient?
- Placement of a temporary balloon tamponade tubeCevap
- BImmediate transfer to the operating room for an open portosystemic shunt
- CContinuous intravenous infusion of tranexamic acid
- DCT angiography of the abdomen
- ERepeat endoscopy following aggressive iced saline lavage