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Volume 09 Journal of Gastrointestinal & Digestive System
ISSN: 2161-069X Gastro Congress 2019
July 08-09, 2019
July 08-09, 2019 | Zurich, Switzerland
14th Euro-Global Gastroenterology Conference
Pathophysiology and management of “Esophageal Varices” in current practice
Balwant Singh Gill
Dr. MGR Medical University, India
Esophageal varices: Esophageal varices are dilated submucosal distal esophageal veins connecting the portal and
systemic circulations. This happens due to portal hypertension (most commonly a result of cirrhosis), resistance to
portal blood flow and increased portal venous blood inflow. The most common fatal complication of cirrhosis is
variceal rupture; the severity of liver disease correlates with the presence of varices and risk of bleeding.
Bleeding esophageal varices: No single treatment for bleeding Esophageal varices is appropriate for all patients and
situations. An algorithm for management of the patient with acute bleeding is presented in this article. The options
for long-term, definitive therapy and the criteria for selection of each are discussed.
Pathophysiology and management of esophageal varices: Esophageal varices are one of the most common and
severe complications of chronic liver diseases. New aspects in epidemiology, pathogenesis and treatment of varices
are reviewed. Sclerotherapy is the first-line treatment for acute hemorrhage. Prevention of first or recurrent bleeding
is still unsatisfactory. β-Blockers are slightly superior to sclerotherapy with regard to prophylaxis of first bleeding.
β-Blockers or sclerotherapy may be used for prophylaxis of recurrent bleeding. However, prophylactic treatment
regimens do not have a major impact on survival. Combination treatment, new drugs or new devices may help to
improve the efficacy of prophylactic measures.
Endoscopic therapy for esophageal varices: Among therapeutic endoscopic options for Esophageal varices (EV),
Endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) has provenmore effectiveness and safety compared with endoscopic sclerotherapy
and is currently considered as the first choice. In acute EV bleeding, vasoactive therapy (either with terlipressin or
somatostatin) prior to endoscopy improves outcomes; moreover, antibiotic prophylaxis has to be generally adopted.
Variceal glue injection (cyanoacrylates) seems to be effective in the treatment of esophageal as well as in gastric
varices. Prevention of rebleeding can be provided both by EVL alone or combined with non-selective β-blockers.
Moreover, EVL can be adopted for primary prophylaxis, with no differences in mortality compared with drugs, in
subjects with large varices and unfit for a β-blocker regimen. A meta‐analysis of endoscopic variceal ligation for
primary prophylaxis of esophageal variceal bleeding: Despite publication of several randomized trials of prophylactic
variceal ligation, the effect on bleeding‐related outcomes is unclear. We performed a meta‐analysis of the trials,
as identified by electronic database searching and cross‐referencing. Both investigators independently applied
inclusion and exclusion criteria and abstracted data from each trial. Standard meta‐analytic techniques were used
to compute relative risks and the number needed to treat (NNT) for first variceal bleed, bleed‐related mortality and
all‐cause mortality. Among 601 patients in 5 homogeneous trials comparing prophylactic ligation with untreated
controls, relative risks of first variceal bleed, bleed‐related mortality and all‐cause mortality were 0.36 (0.26‐0.50),
0.20 (0.11‐0.39) and 0.55 (0.43‐0.71), with respective NNTs of 4.1, 6.7 and 5.3. Among 283 subjects from 4 trials
comparing ligation with β‐blocker therapy, the relative risk of first variceal bleed was 0.48 (0.24‐0.96), with NNT of
13; However, there was no effect on either bleed‐related mortality (relative risk [RR], 0.61).
Biography
Balwant Singh Gill has completed his MD from Dr. MGR Medical University, India. He is the Director of Swami Ji Gastroenterology Center (India) an Advanced
Endoscopy Center. He has published more than 5 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as a consultant Gastroenterologist, Hepatologist &
Interventional Endoscopist at their center of gastroenterology. He is also associated with few national and international associations.
Balwant Singh Gill, J Gastrointest Dig Syst 2019, Volume 09