Which embolic material is commonly used in both upper and lower GI interventional procedures?

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is a commonly used embolic material in both upper and lower gastrointestinal interventional procedures. Its properties make it particularly suitable for occluding blood vessels during embolization to control bleeding or to reduce blood flow to specific areas, such as tumors.

PVA is a biocompatible material that is available in various particle sizes, allowing practitioners to tailor its use to the specific clinical scenario. Smaller particles can penetrate deeper into blood vessels and occlude more distal branches, while larger particles provide a more substantial blockage when needed. This versatility contributes to its widespread application in a range of procedures, including the treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding and certain tumor therapies.

In contrast, stents are used for maintaining vessel patency rather than for occlusion, balloon catheters are primarily utilized for dilation, and contrast dye is used for imaging and visualization during procedures, rather than for embolization. Thus, PVA stands out as the appropriate choice for the specified applications in interventional radiology.