To observe the clinical value of emergency angiography and embolism therapy for acute massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

A total of 49 cases of acute massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage, who had symptoms of shock, received emergency angiography. After verifying the bleeding site, the supply arteries were embolized with polyvimnyl alcohol (PVA) particle, Gelatin Sponge particle or coils.

Among the 49 patients, all cases were identified of the bleeding site, 47 cases were successfully embolized of the supply arteries, 1 case received emergency open surgery instead, 1 case neither received arterial embolization nor the emergency surgery treatment because of the critical condition, and died subsequently. The total procedure effective rate was 95.92% (47/49). The patients, who were successfully embolized, never manifested bleeding or severe complications again during the hospitalization, and were discharged with cure. The average hospitalization time was 15 days. While the patients who received emergency surgery was discharged till 2 months after the operation.

Emergency angiography has a high diagnostic accuracy for acute massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Arterial embolization is an effective and minimal invasive approach with remarkable cure rate, which can alleviate the suffering of patients not only physically but also psychologically.