Abstract
Screening with colonoscopy revealed colonic varices in 30 out of 157 patients with portal hypertension (19%). Patients with extrahepatic portal obstruction (EHO) were most frequently accompanied with the varices (11/21 patients, 52%). Colonic varices ruptured in 8 patients (2 liver cirrhosis, 4 EHO, and 2 primary biliary cirrhosis). Arteriovenous malformation was visualized by angiography in the variceal regions of 4 of 7 patients and 3 of those were EHO. Colectomy, transanal variceal ligation or endoscopic sclerotherapy was performed successfully for these ruptured varices. Since various treatments for esophago-gastric varices were improved, the possibility of a long-term survival of these patients has been increased. Because incidence of colonic varices is expected to increase, a strict follow-up and appropriate selection of treatments for colonic varices are required.
