Surgical treatment of bleeding esophageal varices.

Massive bleeding from varices in the esophagus and stomach secondary to liver disease is a serious surgical emergency, as the patient may bleed to death. The problem is further complicated by the difficulties in making a diagnosis and the poor general condition of the patient due to the long standing liver disease. For the past two years at the San Francisco Hospital this problem has been handled by exploring the stomach and esophagus and ligating the bleeding point. No effort has been made to lower the pressure in the veins to the liver. The results have been sufficiently encouraging to warrant further trial.