Endoscopic Diagnosis and Therapy in Gastroesophageal Variceal Bleeding

Abstract

Gastroesophageal variceal hemorrhage is a medical emergency with high morbidity and mortality. Endoscopic therapy is the mainstay of management of bleeding varices. It requires attention to technique and the appropriate choice of therapy for a given patient at a given point in time. Subjects must be monitored continuously after initiation of therapy for control of bleeding, and second-line definitive therapies must be introduced quickly if endoscopic and pharmacologic treatment fails.

Keywords: Cirrhosis; Endoscopic band ligation; Endoscopic sclerotherapy; Endoscopic variceal obturation; Endoscopy; Esophageal varices; Gastric varices; Variceal hemorrhage.