Variceal bleeding is one of the dreaded complications of portal hypertension. Patients who have suspected or proven cirrhosis should undergo diagnostic upper endoscopy to detect medium and large gastro-esophageal varices. Patients with medium and large gastro-esophageal varices should be treated with non-selective beta-blockers (propranolol or nadolol), and these agents should be titrated to a ...

BACKGROUND Endoscopic treatment of esophageal varices may accentuate portal hypertensive gastropathy. The impact of the combination of band ligation and propranolol on this condition remains unknown. METHODS Patients with history of variceal bleeding were randomized to receive band ligation alone (control group, 40 patients) or a combination of band ligation and propranolol (propranolol group...

BACKGROUND Endoscopic band ligation is the treatment of choice for bleeding esophageal varices. However it is not clear if this procedure is associated with less early and late mortality than sclerotherapy. AIM To assess rates of re-bleeding and mortality in cohorts of patients with bleeding esophageal varices treated with endoscopic injection or band ligation. PATIENTS AND METHODS Analysis...

Here we present the case of an 11-year-old female patient diagnosed with Caroli syndrome, who had refractory esophageal varices. The patient had a history of recurrent bleeding from esophageal varices, which was treated with endoscopic variceal ligation thrice over a period of 2 years. However, the bleeding was not controlled. When the patient finally visited the Emergency Department, the hemog...

A non cirrhotic patient with esophageal varices and portal vein thrombosis had recurrent variceal bleeding unsuccessfully controlled by endoscopy and esophageal transection. Emergency transhepatic portography confirmed the thrombosed right branch of the portal vein, while the left branch appeared angulated, shifted and stenotic. A stent was successfully implanted into the left branch and the co...

hospital because of substernal chest pain, dyspnea, and occasional dysphagia to solids. His past medical history was remarkable for diabetes mellitus type II, hyperlipidemia, and Parkinson’s disease. On physical examination he appeared frail but with no apparent distress. Examination of the neck showed no masses, stridor or jugular venous distension. Heart examination disclosed a regular rate a...