Long-term results of hemostatic gastric suture in the treatment of esophagogastric varices.

Portal azygos disconnection, using vein ligatures and a circumferential hemostatic suture of the gastric wall at the level of the upper pole, is a simple and a rapid technique that effectively controls bleeding from esophagogastric varices. Its low mortality rate in emergency cases or poor-risk patients can be of great benefit to patients who have not responded to conservative therapy, including tamponade and vein sclerosis. In this article, we conclude that the long-term results of this operation demonstrate that it can also be used in elective cases, especially in patients with Child's "C" classification. These patients with advanced cirrhosis have a very low survival rate (no more than 5 years) yet they can benefit from this portal disconnection since this procedure does not alter the portal hemodynamics and, consequently, does not induce chronic encephalopathy.