Experiences with Endoscopic Interventions for Variceal Bleeding in Children with Portal Hypertension: A Single Center Study

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of band ligation and injection sclerotherapy in the endoscopic treatment of children with variceal bleeding. Methods: The study population included 55 children, all of whom were treated at the time of endoscopic diagnosis of esophageal varices at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, between January 1994 and January 2011. The primary outcomes included initial success rates and duration of hemostasis after endoscopic management (band ligation vs. injectionsclerotherapy). Results: The mean age was 6.7 +/- 5.2 years and the mean follow-up time was 5.4 +/- 3.7 years. The most common cause of esophageal varices was biliary atresia. Of 55 children with acute variceal bleeding, 39 had band ligation and 16 had injection sclerotherapy. No differences between groups were observed in terms of the size, location, and presence of red color sign. The success rates of band ligation and sclerotherapy in the control of acute bleeding episodes were 89.7% and 87.5%. The mean duration of hemostasis after endoscopic intervention was 13.2 +/- 25.1 months. After one year, 19 of 39 patients (48.7%) treated with band ligation and 7 of 16 patients (43.8%) with injection sclerotherapy had experienced rebleeding episodes. Complications after the procedures were observed in 10.3% and 18.8% of children treated with band ligation and injection sclerotherapy. Conclusion: The results of our current study suggest that band ligation and injection sclerotherapy are equally efficient treatments for the control of acute variceal bleeding and prevention of rebleeding.