Clinical Profile, Indications, and Endoscopic Characteristics of Patients Treated with Argon Plasma Coagulation: A Retrospective Study

Background: Argon plasma coagulation (APC) is an endoscopic hemostasis technique widely used in treating bleeding digestive vascular lesions. Few Moroccan data describe the profile of patients treated with APC. Objective: To describe the clinical profile, indications, and endoscopic characteristics of patients who underwent APC treatment at the Mohammed V Military Instruction Hospital (HMIMV) in Rabat. Methods: A retrospective descriptive study including all patients treated with APC between January 2020 and December 2025 in the gastroenterology department of HMIMV. Demographic, clinical, and endoscopic data were collected from the Jamovi database. Results: A total of 199 patients were included. The mean age was 65.1 ± 12.1 years (range: 40–91), with a male predominance (57.3%). Lesions were located in the lower gastrointestinal tract in 71.9% of cases, predominantly in the rectum (55.8%). The upper gastrointestinal tract was involved in 28.1% of patients, with predominant involvement of the gastric fundus (14.1%) and gastric antrum (11.1%). The mean number of lesions per patient was 2.27 (median: 2), and the mean number of sessions was 1.96 (median: 2). Active bleeding was observed in 10.1% of cases. Adjuvant treatment was used in 2.5% of patientsHMIMV and a complementary maneuver in 1.5% of cases. Conclusion: APC is a technique frequently used at for managing gastrointestinal vascular lesions, with a predominance of colorectal localizations. These results are comparable to international data reporting the efficacy and safety of APC in the management of angiodysplasias and radiation proctopathy.