Practical approach to endoscopic management for bleeding gastric varices.

Abstract

Bleeding from gastric varices is generally more severe than bleeding from esophageal varices, although it occurs less frequently. Recently, new endoscopic treatment options and interventional radiological procedures have broadened the therapeutic armamentarium for gastric varices. This review provides an overview of the classification and pathophysiology of gastric varices, an introduction to current endoscopic and interventional radiological management options for gastric varices, and details of a practical approach to endoscopic variceal obturation using N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate.