Endoscopic esophageal varix ligation: preliminary clinical experience.

Endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) was performed in 14 consecutive patients who had recently bled from esophageal varices. None was actively bleeding at initial treatment. Ligations were accomplished using an endoscopic ligating device and an overtube. There were no procedural complications. 132 varix ligations were performed during 44 separate EVL sessions. Two patients were lost to follow-up and two died; neither death resulted from hemorrhage or treatment complications. Variceal rebleeding occurred in 2 noncompliant patients (14.3%) and was successfully controlled with emergent EVL. Ten patients achieved complete variceal eradication with from 1 to 6 (mean, 3.9) EVL sessions. No major complications (perforation, secondary bleeding, deep ulceration) resulted and there were no treatment failures. Follow-up of 10 surviving patients ranged from 240 to 370 (mean, 280) days. Endoscopic observation suggested that varices were obliterated by a process of mechanical strangulation, ischemia, superficial ulceration, and scar formation. Preliminary data indicate that EVL is a safe and effective treatment for esophageal varices.