Risk factors for bleeding following oesophageal band ligation: Providing further evidence to ameliorate clinical practice

Abstract

We have read with great interest the article by Dueñas et al. recently published in Digestive and Liver Disease, reporting the risk factors and prognosis of cirrhotic patients undergoing oesophageal varices band ligation [1]. This is a relevant issue since approximately 12% of patients who are candidate to primary prophylaxis of oesophageal variceal bleeding have contraindications to the use of non-selective beta-blockers, and approximately 14% are intolerant to beta-blockers pharmacological prophylaxis, and therefore banding ligation represents the only prophylactic treatment available in about one-third of patients [2].