Varghese Thomas1, Tony Jose, Sunil Kumar. 1. Department of Gastroenterology, Calicut Medical College, Calicut, 673 008, Kerala, India. drvarghesethomas@gmail.com
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Long-term follow-up studies of patients with extrahepatic portal venous obstruction (EHPVO) after eradication of esophageal varices using endoscopic sclerotherapy (EST) are limited. METHODS: Between 1985 and 1994, 223 patients with bleeding esophageal varices due to EHPVO underwent variceal eradication using EST. Regular annual clinical and endoscopic follow-up data were available for 198 of these patients for a mean period of 19.8 (range: 14-23) years. These data were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of the 198 patients, 34 (17.2%) had rebleeding after variceal eradication. The mean duration from variceal eradication to recurrence of bleeding was 5.4 years. The causes of rebleeding were: recurrent esophageal varices in 21 patients, fundal varices in eight, portal gastropathy in three, and ectopic varices in two patients. Esophageal varices reappeared in 39 (19.7%) patients. Fundal varices appeared in 19 (9.5%) patients during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: EST is an effective treatment modality for bleeding esophageal varices due to EHPVO. During a follow-up of nearly 20 years after variceal eradication, only about one-sixth of the patients had recurrence of gastrointestinal bleeding. Bleeding was unusual after 10 years had passed since initial variceal eradication.
BACKGROUND: Long-term follow-up studies of patients with extrahepatic portal venous obstruction (EHPVO) after eradication of esophageal varices using endoscopic sclerotherapy (EST) are limited. METHODS: Between 1985 and 1994, 223 patients with bleeding esophageal varices due to EHPVO underwent variceal eradication using EST. Regular annual clinical and endoscopic follow-up data were available for 198 of these patients for a mean period of 19.8 (range: 14-23) years. These data were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of the 198 patients, 34 (17.2%) had rebleeding after variceal eradication. The mean duration from variceal eradication to recurrence of bleeding was 5.4 years. The causes of rebleeding were: recurrent esophageal varices in 21 patients, fundal varices in eight, portal gastropathy in three, and ectopic varices in two patients. Esophageal varices reappeared in 39 (19.7%) patients. Fundal varices appeared in 19 (9.5%) patients during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: EST is an effective treatment modality for bleeding esophageal varices due to EHPVO. During a follow-up of nearly 20 years after variceal eradication, only about one-sixth of the patients had recurrence of gastrointestinal bleeding. Bleeding was unusual after 10 years had passed since initial variceal eradication.
Authors: Shivaram P Singh; Manav Wadhawan; Subrat K Acharya; Sawan Bopanna; Kaushal Madan; Manoj K Sahoo; Naresh Bhat; Sri P Misra; Ajay Duseja; Amar Mukund; Anil C Anand; Ashish Goel; Bonthala S Satyaprakash; Joy Varghese; Manas K Panigrahi; Manu Tandan; Mihir K Mohapatra; Pankaj Puri; Pravin M Rathi; Rajkumar P Wadhwa; Sunil Taneja; Varghese Thomas; Vikram Bhatia Journal: Indian J Gastroenterol Date: 2021-12-10