Management of variceal bleeding

Abstract

Portal hypertension, a common clinical syndrome of chronic
liver disease, is characterised by a pathologic increase in
portal pressure, that causes dilation of portosystemic collateral
vessels, leading to the formation and bleeding of
oesophagogastric varices. Large varices, measuring more
than 5 mm in diameter, have a greater predisposition to
spontaneouse rupture than small varices below this level
(