[Current results of endoscopic therapy of esophageal varices in children]

The authors present their experience with the endoscopic treatment of oesophageal varices in children. During 1991-1994 they treated 21 children where they performed a total of 156 sclerotizations. The mean age of the patients was 10.08 years. In 17 instances the prehepatic type of portal hypertension was involved, in four the intrahepatic type. In 13 children the varicosities were eradicated. A relapse was recorded in three cases. From the total number of sclerotizations the authors recorded complications 14 times. They emphasize the success of the method used: a minimal number of complications; a reduction of the number of pretentious devascularization operations in haemorrhage from oesophageal varices. Also the number of sclerotizations proper decreased, as many patients suffer no longer from haemorrhage and they do not have varices which require sclerotizations.