ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the effect of percutaneous transhepatic obliteration(PTO)of gastroesophageal varices in liver cirrhosis.Methods Fifty-six cirrhotic patients suffering from gastroesophageal varices were treated with PTO,including 35 during emergency bleeding,10 after stoppage of hemorrhage and 11 with severe gastroesophageal varices for prevention of bleeding.Results Catheterization and embolization of gastroesophageal varices were successfully performed in all 56 patients(100%).Bleeding stopped after PTO as an emergency treatment was achieved in 35 patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding.Among them,PTO was performed in 11 patients for preventing variceal hemorrhage,gastroesophageal varices disappeared in 7 and alleviation was obtained evidently in 4.47 patients were followed up for 2-60 months with recurrent bleeding in 5,death in 4 on causes of rebleeding of alimentary tract(1 case),hepatic failure(1 case), hepatocellular carcinoma(2 cases).Conclusion PTO is a safe and effective treatment for gastroesophageal varices in cirrhotic patients and should be recommended extensively.