New Approach to the Treatment of Esophageal Varices

The therapy of hematemesis due to bleeding varicosities of the esophagus has been unsatisfactory. The various methods heretofore recommended for the control of exsanguinating hemorrhages from varices of the esophagus have not yielded permanent relief. At most, temporary arrest of hemorrhage can be expected from such acknowledged procedures as are now at our disposal. Ligation of the coronary vein of the stomach and splenectomy with severance of the short gastric vein is not a logical approach to control the esophageal bleeding. Attempts to obliterate the veins by injection of sclerosing solutions may offer temporary results; but recurrence of hemorrhage is the general rule. Patterson and Rouse1and Welt and Blatteis2have reported some measure of success with the injection treatment, but uniform results were not obtained. The experiences of one of us (M. L. S.) with this method of therapy, employing the technic of Moersch,3have been