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.

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 and gastric balloons, and gastric aspirates
• Linton tube, with a large gastric balloon, and gastric and esophageal aspirates
• Minnesota four-lumen tube, with esophageal and gastric balloons, and esophageal and gastric aspirates.

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.

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