Variceal band ligation in the management of bleeding oesophageal varices: an overview

Endotherapy is, in many centres, still the cornerstone in the first-line approach of a patient with variceal haemorrhage. Since the introduction of the multiband ligation, devices, active variceal bleeding is controlled as efficiently as with sclerotherapy, and variceal eradication can be obtained much faster with fewer treatment-related complications. This observation is now supported by several randomized trials. Combining sclerotherapy with band ligation has no additional effect and can even increase the number of side-effects. Therefore, multiband ligation can be considered as a first-step treatment for bleeding oesophageal varices.