Chronic liver disease of any aetiology can result in portal hypertension. Portal hypertension leads to the formation of porto-systemic collaterals including gastro-oesophageal varices. The development of portal hypertension can also herald the development of other complications of liver cirrhosis such as ascites formation, hepatic encephalopathy and when varices occur, their bleeding. However it should be noted that portal hypertension also occurs in non-cirrhotic conditions, such as "udd-Chiari, myeloproliferative diseases and extra-hepatic portal vein obstruction.Variceal haemorrhage is a serious life-threatening complication of portal hypertension, with overall mortality rates historically reported as -% [ ]. "lthough mortality can be up to % at weeks, it can be up to % at year [ ]. With the generally improved management of the critically ill cirrhotic patient, together with vasoactive therapy and new endoscopic techniques for managing variceal haemorrhage, overall mortality has reduced, with one centre in Europe showing a reduction from % in to % in [ ]. The treatment of gastric varices has also evolved over recent years with the introduction of adhesive compounds such as N-butyl--cyanoacrylate and thrombin, and the increased use of Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunts TIPS in variceal bleeding and early in rebleeding. New self-expanding oesophageal stents have been developed for oesophageal haemorrhage in the ever expanding endoscopic armamentarium against variceal bleeding. Earlier emergency access to endoscopy performed by skilled endoscopists has coincided with the decline in use of tamponade equipment such as Sengstaken-"lakemore tubes, and the virtual extinction of emergency surgical procedures of oesophageal transection or porto-caval shunt formation.© 2013 Rajoriya and Gorard; licensee InTech. This is an open access ar"icle dis"rib""ed "nder "he "erms of "he Crea"ive Commons A""rib""ion License (h""p://crea"ivecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permi"s "nres"ric"ed "se, dis"rib""ion, and reprod"c"ion in any medi"m, provided "he original work is properly ci"ed.This chapter addresses the aetiology and pathogenesis of oesophageal and gastric varices, the strategy of primary prophylaxis against variceal bleeding, and reviews the medical and endoscopic treatment of variceal haemorrhage and rebleeding thereafter.
. Portal hypertension and the development of varicesPortal hypertension is a key factor in the development of oesophageal or gastric varices. The endoscopic appearances of oesophageal and gastric varices can be seen in Figures and respectively. Gas"ric varix seen on re"roflexion of "he endoscope in f"nd"s of "he s"omach wi"h "he classical hanging grapes appearance (co"r"esy of Dr Branislav K"nčak, Universi"y of Trnava and Nové Zámky Hospi"al, Nové Zámky, Slovakia a" www.Endoa"las.sk)
Endoscopy of GI Trac" 100The portal pressure is the pressure in the portal vein and portal vein tributaries. Normal portal pressure is -mmHg. When the portal pressure gradient difference in pressure betwee...