Sclerotherapy of esophageal varices: long-term results and determinants of survival

Between 1980 and 1986, 177 patients underwent sclerotherapy by means of the flexible fiberoptic endoscope for bleeding esophageal varices. Of these, 129 were treated with serial sclerotherapy alone. The remaining 48 patients underwent liver transplantation after sclerotherapy; these are reported separately. Patients were classified by Child's criteria, by the severity of the initial bleeding episode as reflected by the urgency of treatment, and by the nature of the underlying liver disease. Long-term survival rates were markedly influenced by Child's classification, with 83% of the patients in class A, 45% of those in class B, and 20% of those in class C surviving beyond 36 months (p less than 0.001). Urgent treatment was associated with a poorer survival than was elective treatment (p less than 0.001). Survival was not influenced by underlying alcoholic liver disease as compared to a nonalcoholic liver disease. The majority of deaths occurred within the first 100 days after the initial treatment. Child's class B and C patients had the highest early mortality rates, particularly in an acute treatment setting. The most frequent causes of death included progressive liver failure and persistent hemorrhage. Sclerotherapy for bleeding esophageal varices may successfully control hemorrhage, but the influence of this treatment on long-term survival is limited. Hepatic reserve, indicated by Child's classification, is the major determinant of survival. Significant improvements in survival after variceal bleeding are intimately linked to improvement in liver function.     

Duodenal varices as a cause of massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Duodenal varices are an uncommon but serious manifestation of portal hypertension. Our management of three patients with massive bleeding due to duodenal varices stimulated a review of this subject. Thirteen cases of this condition were previously reported. Endoscopic examination of the entire duodenal mucosa is essential to document bleeding from duodenal varices. Medical therapies, including vasopressin and endoscopic sclerotherapy, have had limited success in controlling active duodenal variceal bleeding. Duodenal varix suture ligation or resection also resulted in a high rate of rebleeding. End-to-side portocaval shunt was the most effective procedure in stopping acute and subsequent bleeding in patients with duodenal varices. Despite therapy with or without portosystemic shunt, mortality risk is high in Child's class C patients and in patients with emergency duodenal variceal bleeding.     

The changing spectrum of treatment for variceal bleeding.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of endoscopic therapy, liver transplantation, and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) on patient selection and outcome of surgical treatment for this complication of portal hypertension, as reflected in a single surgeon's 18-year experience with operations for variceal hemorrhage. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Definitive treatment of patients who bleed from portal hypertension has been progressively altered during the past 2 decades during which endoscopic therapy, liver transplantation, and TIPS have successively become available as alternative treatment options to operative portosystemic shunts and devascularization procedures. METHODS: Two hundred sixty-three consecutive patients who were surgically treated for portal hypertensive bleeding between 1978 and 1996 were reviewed retrospectively. Four Eras separated by the dates when endoscopic therapy (January 1981), liver transplantation (July 1985), and TIPS (January 1993) became available in our institution were analyzed. Throughout all four Eras, a selective operative approach, using the distal splenorenal shunt (DSRS), nonselective shunts, and esophagogastric devascularization, was taken. The most common indications for nonselective shunts and esophagogastric devascularization were medically intractable ascites and splanchnic venous thrombosis, respectively. Most other patients received a DSRS. RESULTS: The risk status (Child's class) of patients undergoing surgery progressively improved (p = 0.001) throughout the 4 Eras, whereas the need for emergency surgery declined (p = 0.002). The percentage of nonselective shunts performed decreased because better options to manage acute bleeding episodes (sclerotherapy, TIPS) and advanced liver disease complicated by ascites (liver transplantation, TIPS) became available (p = 0.009). In all Eras, the operative mortality rate was directly related to Child's class (A, 2.7%; B, 7.5%; and C, 26.1 %) (p = 0.001). As more good-risk patients underwent operations for variceal bleeding, the incidence of postoperative encephalopathy decreased (p = 0.015), and long-term survival improved (p = 0.012), especially since liver transplantation became available to salvage patients who developed hepatic failure after a prior surgical procedure. There were no differences between Eras with respect to rebleeding or shunt occlusion. Distal splenorenal shunts (p = 0.004) and nonselective shunts (p = 0.001) were more protective against rebleeding than was esophagogastric devascularization. CONCLUSIONS: The sequential introduction of endoscopic therapy, liver transplantation, and TIPS has resulted in better selection and improved results with respect to quality and length of survival for patients treated surgically for variceal bleeding. Despite these innovations, portosystemic shunts and esophagogastric devascularization remain important and effective options for selected patients with bleeding secondary to portal hypertension.     

Management of variceal hemorrhage in the potential liver transplant candidate

The increased utilization of liver transplantation raises new issues regarding the management of bleeding esophageal varices in patients who are or may become transplant candidates. Since December 1982, 53 patients were referred from a university hospital to distant liver transplant centers for transplantation. Transplants were performed in 37 patients; at last follow-up, 6 died before transplantation, 7 were awaiting transplantation, and 3 were declined. Of the 53 patients referred for transplantation, 22 (42 percent) had a history of variceal hemorrhage. Sclerotherapy was required in nine patients and portosystemic shunt in four patients. Variceal hemorrhage contributed to the deaths of three of the six patients who died before transplantation could be performed. Endoscopic sclerotherapy has become the mainstay of invasive therapy in most patients with bleeding esophageal varices. If sclerotherapy is unsuccessful in the arrest or control of variceal hemorrhage, the decision must be made whether to proceed with urgent liver transplantation or portosystemic shunt. Factors which influence this choice include the ability to stabilize an acutely bleeding patient, the hepatic reserve and general clinical stature of a patient, and the availability of a liver transplant center.     

A hepatologist's view of variceal bleeding

Patients with cirrhosis and esophagogastric varices have a 25% to 33% risk of initial variceal bleeding, a risk of up to 70% for recurrent variceal bleeding, and an associated mortality of up to 50%. Based on a review of prospective randomized trials, control of acute variceal bleeding should involve vasopressin plus nitroglycerin as indicated for minor bleeding episodes, sclerotherapy for more severe bleeding episodes, and staple transection of the esophagus for patients who do not respond to these initial measures. Emergency portasystemic shunt surgery cannot be recommended at this time. For prevention of recurrent variceal hemorrhage, the data support the use of nonselective beta-adrenergic blockers (propranolol or nadolol) for patients with good liver function (Child's class A and B) and the use of chronic sclerotherapy to obliterate esophageal varices for patients with decompensated cirrhosis (Child's class C). Surgical procedures should be reserved for failures of medical management. The use of beta-adrenergic blockers offers the most promise for prevention of initial variceal bleeding.     

Post-shunt resource consumption favors small-diameter prosthetic H-graft portacaval shunt over TIPS for patients with poor hepatic reserve

OBJECTIVE: To define the role of surgical shunting for patients with poor hepatic reserve (Child's class C) in the era of TIPS. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Most physicians prefer TIPS to surgical shunting for patients with poor hepatic reserve because of anticipated poor long-term survival. METHODS: Sixty-two patients of Child's class C with bleeding varices not amenable to endoscopic sclerotherapy or banding were prospectively randomized to undergo TIPS or 8-mm prosthetic H-graft portacaval shunt (HGPCS) from 1993 to 1999. Resource consumption and survival after shunting were determined. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients underwent TIPS and 33 underwent HGPCS. After HGPCS, survival at 3 years was favorable but not statistically superior. TIPS was more often associated with shunt stenoses/occlusions, recurrent hemorrhage, shunt revisions, and shunt failure. Long-term follow-up documented that after HGPCS, patients required fewer hospital and ICU days and fewer units of RBCs transfused. After HGPCS, cost of care was less, as was the median cost of care per day of survival. CONCLUSIONS: For Child's class C patients undergoing HGPCS or TIPS, long-term survival is similar, though favoring HGPCS. Similarly, measures of resource consumption and cost of care following hospital discharge favor HGPCS. HGPCS should be preferentially applied for acceptable patients without access to convenient capable post-shunt care or without definitive plans for imminent transplantation.     

Shunt surgery versus endoscopic sclerotherapy for long-term treatment of variceal bleeding. Early results of a randomized trial

In September 1982, a prospective randomized trial comparing shunt surgery and endoscopic sclerotherapy for the elective management of variceal hemorrhage in patients with cirrhosis was initiated. Twenty-seven patients have received shunts (distal splenorenal = 23, nonselective = 4) and 30 patients have had chronic sclerotherapy. Eighty-six per cent of patients had alcoholic cirrhosis and 33% were Child's class C. After a mean follow-up of 25 months, 19% of shunt and 57% of sclerotherapy patients have had rebleeding (p = 0.003). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis reveals similar 2-year survival rates for shunt (65%) and sclerotherapy (61%) groups. Only two of 10 sclerotherapy failures have been salvaged by surgery. Posttherapy quantitative hepatic function, frequency of encephalopathy, and cumulative medical costs were similar for both groups. Hepatic portal perfusion and portal pressure at 1 year were better maintained by sclerotherapy than by distal splenorenal shunt. In conclusion, endoscopic sclerotherapy and shunt surgery provide similar results with respect to survival, hepatic function, frequency of encephalopathy, and costs. Sclerotherapy is an acceptable, but not superior, alternative to shunt surgery for treatment of variceal hemorrhage.     

Effect of delayed operation for bleeding esophageal varices on Child's class and indices of liver function

The charts of 38 patients managed with a period of intensive medical treatment (mean 7 days) prior to portosystemic shunting were examined. We found that the operative delay did not improve the Child's class or the indices of liver function. The operative mortality rates in these patients were 0 in Child's A patients, 13 percent in Child's B patients, and 50 percent in Child's C patients. Based on these findings, we began to operate on patients with bleeding esophageal varices as soon as they stabilized. The charts of 10 consecutive Child's C patients operated on without a period of intensive medical management (mean 3 days) were reviewed and compared with the charts of 8 Child's C patients with delayed operation. The two groups of patients were similar. We recommend that patients who need a shunt should be operated on as soon as possible after bleeding has ceased.     

Elective-selective Warren splenorenal shunt operation. Prognosis of liver function and esophageal varices hemorrhage after repeat sclerotherapy in liver cirrhosis]

From March 1st, 1982 to March 1st 1990 399 patients were admitted to the Heinz-Kalk-Hospital with recurrent bleeding from esophageal varices. Therapy of first choice was acute or elective endoscopic sclerotherapy. Early recurrences and uncontrollable hemorrhage were treated by Linton-Nachlas tube or if unsuccessful by devascularisation procedure. Two early or late bleeding recurrences were defined as sclerotherapy failures and choosen after passing a selection analysis (liver volume 1000 to 2500 ml, portal perfusion more than 30%, liver biopsy without activity or progression, exclusion of stenosis in the arterial supply of the liver and Child-Pugh classification A and B) for a selective-elective splenorenal Warren shunt (SRS). In 10 of 44 selected patients (11%) with an underlying disease of intrahepatic block in 95%, mostly alcoholic origin (65%) intraoperatively the performance of an SRS was technically problematic or impossible. Therefore, a mesocaval interposition shunt was carried out. Early mortality of 34 SRS was 5.9% (2 patients) and late mortality 17.6% (6 patients). No encephalopathy and shunt thrombosis were recorded. Postoperative angio- and sequential scintigraphies proved that portal perfusion was preserved during the first two years, but diminished. Liver function remained stable, too. One case of early rebleeding could be successfully managed by emergency endoscopic sclerotherapy. Five- and eight-years survival rate, according to the method of Kaplan-Meier is about 70%. We conclude that the SRS is the treatment of choice for elective management of recurrent bleeding of esophageal varices refractory to sclerotherapy. Its performance should be not enforced; in case of technical difficulties narrow-lumen mesocaval interposition shunt is an excellent alternative.     

Twenty-five years of injection sclerotherapy for bleeding varices

Acute injection sclerotherapy has been used in Belfast for 25 years and the results are reviewed. During this period 264 patients had injection sclerotherapy for acute bleeding from oesophageal varices during 396 admissions; a rigid oesophagoscope was used and 447 injections were performed. The series includes 19 children who received 69 injections. Thirty-eight had extrahepatic portal venous hypertension and the remainder had intrahepatic disease. Overall, 81 were Child's grade A (including the 38 extrahepatics), 82 were grade B and 101 were grade C. Of the 396 admissions, acute injection sclerotherapy controlled bleeding in 362 instances (control rate 91.4 per cent); control rate in the children's group was 97.1 per cent and in the adults 90.2 per cent. The hospital mortality was 14.9 per cent (57 adults and 2 children). Nineteen deaths were due directly to bleeding oesophageal varices, two from bleeding gastric varices and seven directly or indirectly from oesophageal leaks. Most of the remaining deaths were due to liver failure. We consider that sclerotherapy is valuable in the control of variceal haemorrhage where bleeding is uncontrolled or recurs after vasopressin or tamponade in any admission.     

Endoscopic sclerotherapy

Various sclerotherapy techniques have proved successful in the management of acute variceal bleeding and in long-term control of patients after a variceal bleed. We prefer either an intravariceal or a combined intravariceal and paravariceal technique using ethanolamine oleate, but we advocate that individual units utilize the technique with which they have the most experience. The use of an unmodified flexible endoscope has been almost universally accepted. Once active variceal bleeding is diagnosed on emergency endoscopy, immediate emergency sclerotherapy should be performed. When this is not possible, bleeding should be controlled by balloon-tube tamponade with subsequent delayed emergency sclerotherapy after resuscitation. Patients with variceal bleeding that has stopped at the time of the diagnostic endoscopy can either be treated by immediate sclerotherapy or be observed initially and subsequently treated using the long-term management policy of the unit concerned. Over 90% of actively bleeding patients should be controlled using emergency sclerotherapy. Failures are defined as patients who have more than two acute variceal bleeds during a single hospital admission. Such patients should be identified early and treated either by simple staple-gun transection or by an emergency portosystemic shunt. Repeated injection sclerotherapy using a flexible endoscope and the technique with which the group concerned has the most experience is recommended as the primary form of treatment for the majority of patients after a proven esophageal variceal bleed. Repeat injection treatments should probably be performed at weekly intervals until the esophageal varices are eradicated, with follow-up at 6-month or yearly intervals thereafter. Recurrent varices should be treated similarly. Failures of sclerotherapy are defined as patients who have either recurrent bleeds or in whom varices are difficult to eradicate. They require either a portosystemic shunt or a devascularization and transection operation. All patients presenting with cirrhosis and variceal bleeding should be evaluated for liver transplantation; unfortunately, however, few variceal bleeders are candidates for transplantation. Prophylactic sclerotherapy in patients with esophageal varices that have not bled remains unjustified outside of controlled trials. Available trials have produced conflicting data.     

Management of complications of portal hypertension

The management of portal hypertension focuses on control of its complications, the most important of which is bleeding esophageal varices. Other complications, such as ascites, bleeding intestinal stomas, and hypersplenism, rarely require surgical intervention. Other than medical management, the three basic procedures now available for the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices include decompression of varices with a portosystemic shunt, nonshunting operations that attack directly the esophageal variceal-bearing area, and liver transplantation as the procedure of choice in selected patients. Patients who present with episodes of acute bleeding are usually treated initially with medical therapy including acute sclerotherapy or balloon tamponade techniques when necessary. If the patient fails to respond or if episodes of bleeding recur, further therapy is required. Although selection of therapy remains controversial, it is based on multiple factors. These include the basic pathogenic mechanism of portal hypertension in the individual patient, status of the patient as defined by Child's classification, elective or urgent nature of the operation, hemodynamic stability of the patient at the time of the procedure, site of the block in the portal system, and caliber and anatomic relationship of the vessels available for anastomosis in the portal system. Additional factors include the presence and severity of ascites or encephalopathy, age of the patient, site of bleeding (esophageal or gastric), severity of associated hypersplenism, and techniques and expertise available at a given institution. Shunting procedures achieve the best long-term control of bleeding, but they can precipitate the development of encephalopathy. Nonshunting procedures do not induce encephalopathy, but they are usually associated with a high rate of rebleeding. Also, with the possible exception of sclerotherapy, they are still associated with a high operative mortality rate in alcoholic patients classified as Child's C. Although sclerotherapy controls acute variceal bleeding more successfully than conventional methods, it is not readily applicable in patients with bleeding gastric varices. Also, it has not yet clearly been proved to be an effective method of permanent control of gastroesophageal bleeding and has not been demonstrated to increase survival. The new methods of extensive esophagogastric devascularization (for example, porta-azygos disconnection using the Sugiura procedure) are attractive because of the low late recurrence rate for bleeding without the induction of encephalopathy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Long-term results with the modified Sugiura procedure for the management of variceal bleeding: standing the test of time in the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices

Background  

The surgical approaches to the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients have been reduced since the clinical development of endoscopic sclerotherapy, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), and liver transplantation. However, when acute sclerotherapy fails, and in cases where no further treatment is accessible, emergency surgery may be life saving. In the present study we retrospectively analyzed the results of the modified Sugiura procedure, performed as emergency and semi-elective treatment in the patient with bleeding esophageal varices.     

Variceal haemorrhage after failed injection sclerotherapy: the role of emergency oesophageal transection

In a planned sequential policy for the emergency control of continued bleeding from oesophageal varices, oesophageal transection was performed after failure of conservative treatment, including injection sclerotherapy. In 15 patients who underwent emergency oesophageal transection, bleeding was controlled by operation in the majority (87 per cent), but 11 of the 15 patients died in hospital. Mortality in patients with poor liver function (Child's C) was 100 per cent, the majority of deaths resulting from hepatic and renal failure. The results of this study suggest that emergency oesophageal transection to control acute variceal haemorrhage is associated with a poor prognosis in patients with poor liver function and questions its role in a sequential emergency treatment policy.     

The place of liver transplantation in the treatment of hemorrhagic complications of portal hypertension

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is the only definitive treatment for chronic liver disease. Other available therapeutic modalities (mainly aimed at the treatment of bleeding varices) are palliative, with no influence on long-term survival. Management of patients with bleeding varices should take into account the etiology of the liver disease, the clinical presentation (acute vs. chronic bleed), and the disease stage, judged by Child-Pugh-classification. Patients with Child's grade C should be transplanted. Those who are not suitable for transplantation should be treated with long-term sclerotherapy. Patients with Child's grade B and a stable liver disease should be treated on an individual basis, sclerotherapy being the first line of treatment. When a shunt is indicated, the preferred procedure is a distal splenorenal or a H-mesocaval shunt so that a future OLT is not compromised or impossible.     

The use of sclerotherapy for the management of oesophageal varices in portal hypertension

Summary Although sclerotherapy is currently the most widely used treatment for the management of both acute variceal bleeding and the long-term management of patients with varices, its definitive role in the treatment of these patients has yet to be finally proven. Sclerotherapy appears to be the most effective treatment for the majority of patients with acute variceal bleeding. Failures require either a shunt or a transection and/or devascularisation procedure. Current evidence favours simple staple gun transection or a shunt (either a portacaval shunt or a side-to-side narrow diameter polytetrafluoroethylene graft between the portal vein and vena cava). In long-term management of patients after a variceal bleed the currently favoured treatment is repeated sclerotherapy. However, failures should be identified early. We define failures as patients who present with varices that are either difficult to eradicate by sclerotherapy or who have repeated life-threatening variceal bleeds during the course of repeated injection sclerotherapy. Such patients should have either a portal-to-systemic shunt or a transection and devascularisation operation. Further controlled trials are required to define the specific indications for the individual forms of therapy. Prophylactic treatment for varices that have not yet bled is unjustified at present. Based on a presentation to the International Congress on Surgical Endoscopy, Ultrasound, and Interventional Techniques, Berlin 1988     

Eradication of oesophageal varices recurring after portal non-decompressive surgery by injection sclerotherapy

The results of injection sclerotherapy for oesophageal varices which recurred after portal non-decompressive surgery were analysed retrospectively to evaluate its efficacy. We treated 60 consecutive patients with portal hypertension; 19 were treated on an emergency basis, seven electively and 34 on a prophylactic basis. All acute bleeding was controlled with one session of sclerotherapy using a transparent overtube. After eradication by sclerotherapy, no bleeding episodes occurred and there was no recurrence of the varices, except in three uncompliant patients, during a mean follow-up period of 33.1 months. Bleeding from a gastric ulcer and gastritis occurred in one patient each. Oesophageal stenosis occurred in nine (15 per cent) patients and gastric varices developed in two (3 per cent) patients. Twelve patients died, five from liver failure and six with hepatoma, but there was no bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract. The overall 4-year survival rate was 80 per cent. We recommend the use of sclerotherapy as the primary treatment for recurrent oesophageal varices.     

The surgeon''s role in the management of portal hypertension.

Patients with portal hypertension are referred to surgeons for several reasons. These include the management of continued active variceal bleeding; therapy after a variceal bleed to prevent further recurrent bleeds; consideration for prophylactic surgical therapy to prevent the first variceal bleed; or, rarely, an unusual cause of portal hypertension which may require some specific surgical therapy. Injection sclerotherapy is the most widely used treatment for both acute variceal bleeding and long-term management after a variceal bleed. Unfortunately it has probably been overused in the past. The need to identify the failures of sclerotherapy early and to treat them by other forms of major surgery is emphasized. The selective distal splenorenal shunt is the most widely used portosystemic shunt today, particularly in nonalcoholic cirrhotic patients. The standard portacaval shunt is still used for the management of acute variceal bleeding as well as for long-term management, particularly in alcoholic cirrhotic patients. For acute variceal bleeding the surgical alternative to sclerotherapy or shunting is simple staple-gun esophageal transection, whereas in long-term management the main alternative is an extensive devascularization and transection operation. Liver transplantation is the only therapy that cures both the portal hypertension and the underlying liver disease. All patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension should be assessed as potential liver transplant recipients. If they are candidates for transplantation, sclerotherapy should be used to treat bleeding varices whenever possible, as this will interfere least with a subsequent liver transplant.     

Portasystemic shunting remains the procedure of choice for control of variceal hemorrhage

We reviewed 108 patients (50% Child's C) who had been admitted with acutely bleeding esophageal varices to compare the efficacy of operative (portasystemic shunt) therapy with the reported efficacy of sclerotherapy. In the patients with shunts the early mortality (preoperative plus operative) was 13% and late mortality was 23%. Survival at five years was 50%. Recurrent variceal bleeding was seen in 4% of the patients. Procedure-related mortality and variceal rebleeding rates for the shunt group were respectively 50% and 8% of that reported for sclerotherapy. Variceal rebleeding in the sclerotherapy group required approximately 7 units of blood per episode. We concluded that immediate attempts at control of hemorrhage followed by portasystemic shunting remains the therapy of choice for these patients.