Has sclerotherapy altered the management of patients with variceal bleeding?

Sclerotherapy is currently the primary treatment of choice for the majority of patients who present with esophageal variceal bleeding. Although it has altered the management of these patients, unanswered questions and controversies remain. Patients with acute variceal bleeding should preferably be treated in a specialized center. The primary treatment should be immediate sclerotherapy, when possible. Portosystemic shunts and esophageal transection should be reserved for the 5% to 10% of patients in whom sclerotherapy fails to control acute bleeding. There are several treatment options for long-term management after a variceal bleeding episode. Sclerotherapy is one option and has become the primary treatment in most major centers. All patients with end-stage liver disease must be considered for liver transplantation, and sclerotherapy should be the primary method of treatment in those who are selected. Pharmacologic therapy remains controversial. I propose that portosystemic shunts and devascularization and transection operations be reserved for those few patients in whom sclerotherapy fails to eradicate the varices and to prevent recurrent variceal bleeding. Patients in whom sclerotherapy is unsuccessful should be identified and treated early.