Open AccessDefining the advantages and exposing the limitations of endoscopic variceal ligation in controlling acute bleeding and achieving complete variceal eradication
Author(s) -
J. E. J. Krige,
Eduard Jonas,
U. Kotze,
Christo Kloppers,
Karan Gandhi,
Hisham Allam,
M. Ber,
S. Burmeister,
Mashiko Setshedi
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
world journal of gastrointestinal endoscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1948-5190
DOI - 10.4253/wjge.v12.i10.365
Subject(s) - medicine , ligation , surgery , general surgery
Bleeding esophageal varices (BEV) is a potentially life-threatening complication in patients with portal hypertension with mortality rates as high as 25% within six weeks of the index variceal bleed. After control of the initial bleeding episode patients should enter a long-term surveillance program with endoscopic intervention combined with non-selective β-blockers to prevent further bleeding and eradicate EV.