English

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Varices are expanded blood vessels that develop most commonly in the esophagus. Esophageal varices is responsible for 5-11% of all cases of upper GI bleeding. Endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EST) is a valuable therapeutic modality for the management of variceal bleeding. Other options for treatment such as variceal band ligation are either expensive or unavailable. AIM: To study the common causes for development of portal hypertension to present as esophageal varices and its different clinical mode of presentation and to know the effect of endoscopic sclerotherapy with absolute alcohol particularly in acute bleeding varices of different grades. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A clinical study of esophageal varices who presented to casualty in Basaveshwar Teaching and General Hospital, Gulbarga; from May 2012 to May 2014. Etiology, presentation, outcome from EST was evaluated. RESULTS: Common affected age group was 30-50yrs, common presentation is haematemesis (90%), melena (55%), distension of abdomen (70%), haemorrhoids (20%) and all cases of esophageal varices were due to portal hypertension, the common pathological condition was cirrhosis (alcoholic, cryptogenic, posthepatitis cirrhosis) and next common was portal vein thrombosis followed by splenic vein thrombosis. 70% cases of bleeding varices were very well controlled with EST alone and some needed initial sengstaken balloon tamponade treatment to control the bleeding followed by EST (30%). Recurrence of bleeding and complications of EST is less. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that endoscopic injection sclerotherapy is an important component in the management of bleeding oesophageal varices caused by portal hypertension. It is a safe and effective procedure.