1994 Volume 44 Pages 102-105
A 47-year-old man with liver cirrhosis had had repeated endoscopic injection sclerotherapy for bleeding of esophageal varices since 1976. He had had also transcatheter arterial embolisation for hepatocelluler carcinoma in 1991. He was admitted to our hospital because of ascites, hepatic encephalopathy and melena in 1992.
Endoscopic examination revealed red plaque in the esophageal varices. Endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) was selected as a treatment of choice because he was in a grave condition with hyperbilirubinemia and hypoalbuminemia. Rebleeding of esophageal varices did not occur before he died of hepatic failure ten days after EVL. Autopsy revealed no dilatation of vein and bleeding at the site of the esophagus where EVL had been performed.
It is suggested that effectiveness of EVL for a short period of time is promised even in the patients with esophageal varices in a grave condition.
