Management of esophagcal varices at Suratthani Hospital.

ABSTRACT

This is a retrospective study of 279 patients with bleeding esophageal varices in the medical department of Suratthani Hospital from 1 July 1996 to 30 April 2003. All patients were treated with endoscopic interventions (endoscopic sclerotherpy and/or rubber band ligation). The patients consisted of 67% men, and had an average of 54.9 years. Underlying diseases included liver cirrhosis (98.2%) and was alcoholic cirrhosis (59.5%), Child Pugh class B and C (77.7%), and EV grade III (62.1%). Clinical bleeding was considered moderate to severe upper GI hemorrhage in 64.4%) of patients. The patients were already in a high risk group, so mortality the rate was high (22.2%). Secondary prevention of recurrent bleeding with propanolol and endoscopic intervention should be widely used in general hospitals to decrease the rate of rebleeding and increase and increase early detection of esophageal varices in high risk patients.