title: Experiences with endoscopic interventions for variceal bleeding in children with portal hypertension: a single center study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of band ligation and injection sclerotherapy in the endoscopic treatment of children with variceal bleeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population included 55 children, all of whom were treated at the time of endoscopic diagnosis of esophageal varices at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, between January 1994 and January 2011. The primary outcomes included initial success rates and duration of hemostasis after endoscopic management (band ligation vs. injectionsclerotherapy).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 6.7±5.2 years and the mean follow-up time was 5.4±3.7 years. The most common cause of esophageal varices was biliary atresia. Of 55 children with acute variceal bleeding, 39 had band ligation and 16 had injection sclerotherapy. No differences between groups were observed in terms of the size, location, and presence of red color sign. The success rates of band ligation and sclerotherapy in the control of acute bleeding episodes were 89.7% and 87.5%. The mean duration of hemostasis after endoscopic intervention was 13.2±25.1 months. After one year, 19 of 39 patients (48.7%) treated with band ligation and 7 of 16 patients (43.8%) with injection sclerotherapy had experienced rebleeding episodes. Complications after the procedures were observed in 10.3% and 18.8% of children treated with band ligation and injection sclerotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our current study suggest that band ligation and injection sclerotherapy are equally efficient treatments for the control of acute variceal bleeding and prevention of rebleeding.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Seung Jin
authors: SJ
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Seak Hee
authors: SH
authors: Oh
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jin Min
authors: JM
authors: Jo
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Kyung Mo
authors: KM
authors: Kim
keywords: Child; Esophageal gastric varices; Gastrointestinal endoscopy; Hyertension; Ligation; Portal; Sclerotherapy