title: Six years' experience of oesophageal transection for oesophageal varices, using a circular stapling gun.
abstract: Eighty patients with bleeding oesophageal varices, who were considered to be unfit for shunt surgery, were treated by oesophageal transection and subdiaphragmatic devascularisation. The overall hospital mortality was 14% and, after an average follow-up of nearly three years, 69% are still alive. Late recurrent bleeding occurred in 14 patients but varices were shown to be responsible in only four. Postoperative portal systemic encephalopathy has not been a problem.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004939:Esophageal Perforation / Q000209:etiology; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000601:surgery; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012008:Recurrence; D013156:Splenectomy; D013528:Surgical Staplers