title: Endoscopic band ligation and esophageal stents for acute variceal bleeding.
abstract: Patients with portal hypertension and esophageal varices are at risk of bleeding due to a progressive increase in portal pressure that may rupture the variceal wall. Appropriate treatment with initial general measures, such as resuscitation, a restrictive transfusion policy, antibiotic prophylaxis, pharmacologic therapy with vasoconstrictors, and endoscopic therapy with endoscopic band ligation are mandatory. However, 10% to 15% of patients fail initial endoscopic therapy and thus rescue therapies are needed. This article reviews the current endoscopic strategies with band ligation and esophageal stents for patients with acute variceal bleeding.
authors.affiliation: GI/Endoscopy Unit, Institut de Malalties Digestives i Metaboliques, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Villarroel 170, Esc 3-2, Barcelona 08036, Spain. Electronic address: acardena@clinic.ub.es.
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cárdenas
authors.affiliation: GI/Endoscopy Unit, Institut de Malalties Digestives i Metaboliques, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Villarroel 170, Esc 3-2, Barcelona 08036, Spain.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernández-Simon
authors.affiliation: ICU/Liver Unit, Institut de Malalties Digestives i Metaboliques, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Villarroel 170, Esc 3-2, Barcelona 08036, Spain.
authors.forename: Angels
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Escorcell
mesh_terms: D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008026:Ligation / Q000379:methods*; D015607:Stents; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents
keywords: Acute variceal bleeding; Cirrhosis; Endoscopic band ligation; Esophageal stents; Esophageal varices; Gastrointestinal bleeding; Portal hypertension; TIPS