Efficacy and safety of endoscopic esophageal variceal ligation in esophageal variceal bleeding in elderly patients with hepatic cirrhosis / 中华消化杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic variceal ligation(EVL)in esophageal variceal bleeding (EVB)in elderly patients with hepatic cirrhosis,and the safety of endoscopic operation under anesthesia.Methods From July 2007 to July 2013,170 patients diagnosed as liver cirrhosis complicated with EVB were retrospectively analyzed.Among them,139 patients who received EVL were divided into elderly anesthesia group (n=52,age≥60 years),elderly non-anesthesia group (n=45 ,age≥60 years)and non-elderly anesthesia group (n=42,age 0.05). Rebleeding rate of medication treatment group was 58.1%(18/31),which was obviously higher than that of elderly anesthesia group (19.2%,10/52 ), elderly non-anesthesia group (31 .1 %,14/45 )and non-elderly anesthesia group (23.8%,10/42 ),and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 =15 .10,P <0.01 ).No case of hepatic encephalopathy was found in elderly anesthesia group or non-elderly anesthesia group after EVL.The incidence of pneumonia in elderly non-anesthesia group was 4.2%(3/72),which was higher than that of elderly anesthesia group and non-elderly anesthesia group,and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 =8.93,P =0.01). The mortality within a month after EVL in elderly anesthesia group,elderly non-anesthesia group and non-elderly anesthesia group was 0,8.9% (4/45 )and 0,and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 =9.27,P =0.01).Conclusion The efficacy of EVL under anesthesia in EVB in elderly patients with liver cirrhosis was good,with no induction or aggravation of hepatic encephalopathy or irreversible complications were found.