International Consensus Statements on the Use of Topical Endoscopic Hemostatic Powders in the Treatment of Acute Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Background: Acute GI bleeding (AGIB) can be associated with significant mortality. Topical endoscopic hemostatic powders (TEHPs) have become established as one of the endoscopic treatment modalities for AGIBs. There is no dedicated consensus on the role of TEHPs in the GIB algorithm. Objective: We aimed to develop expert-led consensus statements to provide guidance on the use of TEHPs in AGIBs. Design: A team of 15 experts in the field of acute AGIB from 8 countries was recruited to construct consensus statements on the use of TEHPs. A first meeting was held to define statements. Using the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method, they voted on statements by combining expert collective judgment and best available evidence in a 2-round voting process. Statements were rated on a 9-point interval scale (1 to 9). Four statistical methods were used to delineate statements that satisfied all criteria of appropriateness. For a statement to be considered appropriate, it had to meet all statistical definitions of appropriateness showing consensus agreement. Results: Following round 2, 11 final statements were scored as appropriate, reaching overall consensus. Key recommendations include that TEHPs are effective in achieving hemostasis in malignancy-related GIBs, can be used as “salvage” therapy for nonvariceal GIBs and can be used as a bridge to definitive nonendoscopic therapy. Conclusion: We present a dedicated international consensus statement aimed at providing guidance to clinicians on best practice use of TEHPs in patients with AGIBs. There was consensus among the panel on the need for future trials to compare the use of different hemostatic powders in patients presenting with GIB.