title: Prophylactic impact of endoscopic treatment for esophageal varices in liver resection: a prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prophylactic treatment for esophageal varices has been performed without adequate supporting evidence. We assessed the feasibility of prophylactic and follow-up treatment for high-risk esophageal varices in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with HCC were screened prospectively and followed up for esophageal varices and gastroduodenal ulceration. High-risk esophageal varices (huge F3 varices or intermediate F2 varices positive for red color signs) were treated prophylactically. Follow-up endoscopy was performed to assess the impact of prophylaxis and changes in varices at 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months after operation. If high-risk varices were found during follow-up, secondary prophylaxis was performed according to the same criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 251 patients with HCC, 81 (32.3 %) had esophageal varices on screening endoscopy. Prophylactic endoscopic treatment was required by 13 patients (1 with F3 varices and 12 with F2 varices positive for red color signs). Ten varices worsened, and 4 varices progressed to high-risk varices requiring endoscopic treatment. No F0 or F1 varices at screening endoscopy progressed to high-risk varices, and no bleeding event occurred during 6 months of preplanned follow-up. A preoperative platelet count of less than 10 × 10(4)/μL (odds ratio: 4.21, 95 % confidence interval 3.11-10.6; p < 0.001), the presence of splenomegaly (2.87, 2.16-21.8; p = 0.011), and an indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min of greater than 30 % (2.31, 1.88-24.6; p = 0.026) were independent predictors of worsening varices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our protocol for prophylactic and follow-up treatment of high-risk esophageal varices was feasible in patients with HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchikami-machi, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, 173-8610, Japan, takayama.tadatoshi@nihon-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shintaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Tadatoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Tokio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higaki
authors.forename: Shunichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: Shigeaki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mizuno
authors.forename: Mitsuhiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moriyama
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000628:therapy*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010976:Platelet Count; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007208:Indocyanine Green