Between August 1979 and September 1982, acute variceal haemorrhage has been managed in the University Department of Surgery, Glasgow Royal Infirmary by a policy of oesophageal tamponade and injection sclerotherapy. Haemorrhage was controlled in 90% of admissions with an admission mortality of 28%. Recurrent haemorrhage occurred in half the patients surviving their first admission to hospital despite entering a programme of elective sclerotherapy. The results of this management policy are reviewed and the means of selecting patients for more aggressive therapy discussed. The deficiencies of a modified Child's classification in selection of patients are highlighted and overcome by the development of a prognostic index obtained by regression analysis on data collected on patients managed over this 3 year period. The admission prognostic index clearly defines 'high' and 'low' risk groups and 'predicts' outcome following admission in 90% of patients. The use of this index is validated in a further group of patients managed by a similar policy. Further regression analysis is used to obtain a prognostic index for alcohol cirrhotic patients alone and to determine the factors associated with one year survival. These indices are used to audit the management policy. Prothrombin, creatinine and encephalopathy are shown to have a clear association with outcome when measured at the time of variceal haemorrhage whereas other factors such as albumin and haemoglobin emerge as having prognostic value when measured one month following the acute episode. The possible applications of these prognostic indices are investigated in a prospective two centre study assessing the efficacy of propranolol in preventing recurrent variceal haemorrhage. It is shown that they can be used to exclude patients from entry into a study assessing the longterm benefit of propranolol when the prospects of short-term survival are limited. Their value in auditing management and their possible use in withdrawing treatment are shown. The prognostic indices are used to compare results of treatment at the two hospitals and are shown to be of value in analysing the results of the trial. These prognostic indices provide an objective means of evaluating patient management and may allow selection of patients for consideration of other treatment options.

Esophageal varices are expanded veins of the submucosa that develop in patients with portal hypertension. They develop as collaterals between the portal vein and the superior vena cava. Varices are seen when the HPVG rises >12mmHG and can lead to a life-threatening bleeding episode. Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) is the treatment of choice of acute variceal bleeding. It is also performed for primary and secondary prophylaxis of bleeding from esophageal varices. After EBL, patients are at risk of postinterventional bleeding. Therefore, patients are often hospitalized until endoscopy proves all applied ligation bands have dropped off. At present, there is no standardized algorithm for surveillance of patients after EBL. Furthermore, risk factors for bleeding complications after EBL are poorly evaluated. The available studies mostly investigated patient collectives .after endoscopic sclerotherapy. The aim of this study was to investigate bleeding behaviour after EBL, to make recommendations for in- and out-patient surveillance after EBL and to analyze independent risk factors for bleeding complications after EBL.

Background: Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) is generally accepted as the treatment of choice for bleeding from esophageal varices. It is also used for secondary prophylaxis of esophageal variceal hemorrhage. However, there is no data or guidelines concerning endoscopic control of ligation ulcers. We conducted a retrospective study of EBL procedures analyzing bleeding complications after EBL. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from patients who underwent EBL. We analyzed several data points, including indication for the procedure, bleeding events and the time interval between EBL and bleeding. Results: 255 patients and 387 ligation sessions were included in the analysis. We observed an overall bleeding rate after EBL of 7.8%. Bleeding events after elective treatment (3.9%) were significantly lower than those after treatment for acute variceal hemorrhage (12.1%). The number of bleeding events from ligation ulcers and variceal rebleeding was 14 and 15, respectively. The bleeding rate from the ligation site in the group who underwent emergency ligation was 7.1% and 0.5% in the group who underwent elective ligation. Incidence of variceal rebleeding did not vary significantly. Seventy-five percent of all bleeding episodes after elective treatment occurred within four days after EBL. 20/22 of bleeding events after emergency ligation occured within 11 days after treatment. Elective EBL has a lower risk of bleeding from treatment-induced ulceration than emergency ligation. Conclusions: Patients who underwent EBL for treatment of acute variceal bleeding should be kept under medical surveillance for 11 days. After elective EBL, it may be reasonable to restrict the period of surveillance to four days or even perform the procedure in an out-patient setting.

Background: Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) is generally accepted as the treatment of choice for bleeding from esophageal varices. It is also used for secondary prophylaxis of esophageal variceal hemorrhage. However, there is no data or guidelines concerning endoscopic control of ligation ulcers. We conducted a retrospective study of EBL procedures analyzing bleeding complications after EBL. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from patients who underwent EBL. We analyzed several data points, including indication for the procedure, bleeding events and the time interval between EBL and bleeding. Results: 255 patients and 387 ligation sessions were included in the analysis. We observed an overall bleeding rate after EBL of 7.8%. Bleeding events after elective treatment (3.9%) were significantly lower than those after treatment for acute variceal hemorrhage (12.1%). The number of bleeding events from ligation ulcers and variceal rebleeding was 14 and 15, respectively. The bleeding rate from the ligation site in the group who underwent emergency ligation was 7.1% and 0.5% in the group who underwent elective ligation. Incidence of variceal rebleeding did not vary significantly. Seventy-five percent of all bleeding episodes after elective treatment occurred within four days after EBL. 20/22 of bleeding events after emergency ligation occured within 11 days after treatment. Elective EBL has a lower risk of bleeding from treatment-induced ulceration than emergency ligation. Conclusions: Patients who underwent EBL for treatment of acute variceal bleeding should be kept under medical surveillance for 11 days. After elective EBL, it may be reasonable to restrict the period of surveillance to four days or even perform the procedure in an out-patient setting.

La dysfonction des mécanismes de régulation vasculaire, observée dans les états de choc septique (CS), hémorragique (CH) et la cirrhose (C), remet en question l’efficacité des substances vasoactives utilisées. L’objectif de ce travail est l’évaluation hémodynamique, systémique et splanchnique de l’administration d’hydrogène sulfuré [H2S], de terlipressine [TP] et de noradrénaline [NE] au cours des complications des CS, CH et C. Suite à une ischémie/reperfusion (I/R) chez le rat, le sepsis n’a pas d’impact particulier sur le rein, lors de la phase précoce, alors que le débit rénal varie en réponse aux variations de pression artérielle, incluant le phénomène d’autorégulation. Le CS est associé très précocement à une augmentation du flux sanguin dans les capillaires péritubulaires et à une dysfonction rénale limitée par la perfusion de NE. Au cours d’un CH retransfusé et réanimé par un remplissage vasculaire, l’inhibition endogène de H2S aggrave la dysfonction rénale suite à une diminution des vitesses microcirculatoires péritubulaires et favorise un syndrome de fuite capillaire. A l’inverse, l’administration exogène de H2S pourrait provoquer un rétrocontrôle négatif sur l’activité de l’enzyme principale de production de H2S endogène, la CSE. Lors d’une hypertension portale par C chez le rat, la NE augmente la pression porte à faibles doses et augmente la contraction maximale des veines portes in vitro par rapport à la vasopressine, ce qui augmente le risque hémorragique. Au contraire, la TP diminue le débit mésentérique et la pression porte, ce qui favorise la réponse hémodynamique de réduction du risque d’hémorragie digestive. / The impairment of vascular regulatory mechanisms observed in cirrhosis and shock situations, reduces the effectiveness of vasoactive substances used in treatments. The aim of this study is the hemodynamic, systemic and splanchnic assessments of vasoactive molecules proposed for the treatment of septic shock, hemorrhagic shock and cirrhosis complications (hydrogen sulfide [H2S], terlipressin [TP] and norepinephrine [NE]). In a model of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), sepsis has no particular impact on the kidney since renal blood flow varies in response to mean arterial blood pressure variations, including an auto-regulation phenomenon. Sepsis is very rapidly associated with hypervelocity of blood flow in peritubular capillaries and renal dysfunction, both of wich are reserved by NE infusion. In hemorrhagic shock model controlled and resuscitated by Gelofusin® perfusion, we demonstrated that inhibition of endogenous H2S worsening renal dysfunction due to decreased renal peritubular microcirculatory velocities and promotes capillary leak syndrome. While the exogenous administration of H2S, could cause a negative feedback on the activity of the principal enzyme of endogenous H2S production, the CSE. During portal hypertension by cirrhosis in rats, NE increases the portal venous pressure, at low doses, and is more efficient than vasopressin on the portal veins of cirrhotic rats in vitro. However TP significantly reduces the mesenteric artery blood flow and the portal vein pressure. Taken together, TP could reduce the variceal bleeding risk associated with cirrhosis in comparison to NE.

Esophageal varices are expanded veins of the submucosa that develop in patients with portal hypertension. They develop as collaterals between the portal vein and the superior vena cava. Varices are seen when the HPVG rises >12mmHG and can lead to a life-threatening bleeding episode. Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) is the treatment of choice of acute variceal bleeding. It is also performed for primary and secondary prophylaxis of bleeding from esophageal varices. After EBL, patients are at risk of postinterventional bleeding. Therefore, patients are often hospitalized until endoscopy proves all applied ligation bands have dropped off. At present, there is no standardized algorithm for surveillance of patients after EBL. Furthermore, risk factors for bleeding complications after EBL are poorly evaluated. The available studies mostly investigated patient collectives .after endoscopic sclerotherapy. The aim of this study was to investigate bleeding behaviour after EBL, to make recommendations for in- and out-patient surveillance after EBL and to analyze independent risk factors for bleeding complications after EBL.