Endoscopic sclerotherapy plus ligation versus ligation for the management of esophageal varices

ABSTRACT

The aim of this work was to compare endoscopic scleroligation with endoscopic variceal ligation alone with regard to efficacy, complications, variceal recurrence and survival rate. Seventy-one patients with cirrhosis and esophageal varices were included in this study; 35 treated by endoscopic scleroligation and 36 treated by endoscopic variceal ligation. Both methods were equally effective in achieving a complete eradication of esophageal varices. The recurrence rates in the endoscopic scleroligation group were significantly lower than those in the endoscopic variceal ligation group. The survival rates and incidence of complications were similar among patients treated by both methods. The combined method, endoscopic scleroligation, was superior to endoscopic variceal ligation alone in preventing variceal recurrence