1987 Volume 29 Issue 2 Pages 275-281
In this report, the relationship between endoscopic findings and upper gastrointestinal bleeding was investigated in 126 cases of liver cirrhosis and esophageal varices. The source of upper gastrointestinal bleedings was disclosed by performing an emergency endoscopy and the incidence of bleeding was analysed in relation to the source of bleeding. The results were as follows : 1. Bleeding from esophageal varices was well correlated with red-color signs, teleangiectasia and form of varices. 2. Negative correlation was recognized between bleeding rate of gastric varices and the severity of esophageal varices. No manifest signs for foresight of bleeding could be found on the gastric varices. 3. The incidence of peptic ulcer in patients with liver cirrhosis and esophageal varices was about 30%. The rate of ulceral bleeding was 60% in associated cases and it was higher than that of variceral bleeding. 4. The incidence of bleeding from peptic ulcer was well correlated with the severity of esophageal varices. 5. In comparison with ulcers in patients without complication, those in patients with liver cirrhosis and esophageal varices were found more frequently at anal side of gastric angle, especially in bleeding cases. It seemed that total upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was very important for patients with liver cirrhosis and esophageal varices.
