Endoscopic scleroligation is a superior new technique for preventing recurrence of esophageal varices.

This study compared a new method, endoscopic scleroligation, intravariceal injection sclerotherapy followed by ligation plus extravariceal injection sclerotherapy, with ligation plus extravariceal injection sclerotherapy. Fifty-nine patients with cirrhosis and esophageal varices were treated by endoscopic scleroligation (ESL group, n = 28) or ligation plus extravariceal injection sclerotherapy (EVL + extraEIS group, n = 31). The demographics and clinical characteristics of the two treatment groups were similar, as was the rate of complete eradication with initial treatment. However, the 1- and 3-year cumulative recurrence rates in the ESL group (3.8% and 22.4%) were very significantly lower than those in the EVL + extraEIS group (48.3% and 81.0%) (p < 0.0001). The overall survival rates in the two groups were similar. In conclusion, endoscopic scleroligation is superior to ligation plus extravariceal injection sclerotherapy in preventing variceal recurrence. The efficacy of intravariceal injection sclerotherapy before ligation is believed to arise from the eradication of feeder vessels.