[Gastrointestinal bleeding and emergency endoscopy in portal hypertension (author's transl)]

Portal hypertension is found in about one quarter of the cases with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. 57 patients with portal hypertension underwent endoscopy for gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Despite visible varices in all cases varice rupture underlies only 50% of the bleeding episodes. Conditions other than rupture were found to bleed in 50%. Superficial mucosal erosions, which escape radiological detection, were the most frequent other bleeding sources.