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Improved long-term survival following complete eradication of esophageal varices by sclerotherapy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Conflicting results have been reported concerning the effect of endoscopic injection sclerotherapy upon the long-term survival of cirrhotic patients with esophageal varix. The recurrence and rebleeding of esophageal varices seems to be an important factor influencing long-term survival. We investigated the long-term survival of patients after complete eradication of esophageal varices.


METHODOLOGY
Forty patients treated by endoscopic injection sclerotherapy for acute esophageal variceal bleeding were studied. The recurrence rate of varices and the long-term survival of patients in whom complete eradication of esophageal varices was obtained were compared with those of patients in whom the eradication of varices was incomplete.


RESULTS
The frequency of the recurrence/deterioration rate of varices and rebleeding in the complete eradication group was significantly lower than that in the incomplete eradication group (10.7% vs. 100%, 0% vs. 58.3%, respectively, p < 0.01). Accumulated 5-year survival rate of the complete eradication group was significantly higher than that of the incomplete eradication group (68.2% vs. 43.2%, p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Complete eradication of esophageal varices by endoscopic injection sclerotherapy is effective both in preventing variceal re-bleeding and in improving the survival of cirrhotic patients with esophageal varices.