[Present status of endoscopic therapy for esophageal varices--endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL)].

Recently, EVL was developed to provide the endoscopist a safer method for the treatment of esophageal varices. The purpose of this report is to reveal our data and the present status. From 1989 to 1995, we performed EVL with EIS using Aethoxysklerol in a total of 214 patients who had bleeding and/or risky esophageal varices. Our technique of EVL is as follows; For prophylactic and elective patients, a spiral ligation method was employed and followed by EIS to obtain the complete eradication. When active bleeding was observed, direct ligation was performed onto the bleeding point and if the bleeding point was not found, spiral ligation method was done. Eradicating effect was observed in 97% of the entire patients and 29 active/spurting bleedings were well controlled by this technique. Complications were experienced in 12 cases (2 stenosis and 10 post EVL ulcedr bleeding), however, there were no patients who could not be managed by endoscopic treatment. Variceal recurrence after EVL/EIS were occurred in 36 of 214 patients (16.8%). Recurrent period was ranged from 1 month to 24 months and mean period was 10 months. We conclude that EVL/EIS is safe, easy and effective mean for the treatment of esophageal varices.