A Sengstaken-Blakemore tube in original packaging

Balloon tamponade refers to the use of mercury weighted balloons instilled into typically the esophagus or stomach, and inflated to stop refractory bleeding from vascular structures -- including esophageal varices and gastric varices -- in the upper gastrointestinal tract. A Sengstaken-Blakemore tube is an oro- or nasogastric tube used occasionally in the management of Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to bleeding from Esophageal A balloon is a flexible bag filled with a type of Gas, such as Helium, Hydrogen, Nitrous oxide or air. The esophagus or oesophagus (see American and British English spelling differences) sometimes known as the gullet, is an organ in In Human anatomy, the stomach is a J-shaped hollow muscular organ of the Gastrointestinal tract involved in the second phase of Digestion, following In Medicine ( Gastroenterology) esophageal varices are extremely dilated sub-mucosal Veins in the Esophagus. Gastric varices are dilated submucosal Veins in the Stomach, which can be a life-threatening cause of Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

Many balloons dedicated for bleeding from different structures exist, with volume capacities and aspiration ports tailored for the specific application.

Examples include:

• Sengstaken-Blakemore tube, with esophageal balloon, and gastric and esophageal aspirates
• Linton tube, with large gastric balloon, and gastric and esophageal aspirates
• Minnesota four-lumen balloon with esophageal and gastric balloons, and esophageal and gastric aspirates. A Sengstaken-Blakemore tube is an oro- or nasogastric tube used occasionally in the management of Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to bleeding from Esophageal

Balloon tamponade is generally considered a bridge to more definitive treatment modalities, and is usually administrered in the intensive care unit setting, due to the illness of patients, and the complications of the procedure. An intensive care unit (ICU critical care unit (CCU intensive therapy unit or intensive treatment unit (ITU is a specialized department used in