Downhill varices: an uncommon cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Autor: Guillermo Ontanilla-Clavijo, Claudio Trigo-Salado, Norberto Rojas-Mercedes, Juan Antonio Caballero-Gómez, Adalberto Rincón-Gatica, Juan Manuel Alcívar-Vasquez, José Luis Márquez-Galán
Jazyk: English<br />Spanish; Castilian
Předmět:
Zdroj: Revista Espanola de Enfermedades Digestivas, Vol 108, Iss 7, Pp 440-442
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1130-0108
DOI: 10.17235/reed.2015.3697/2015
Popis: Background: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a common condition in gastroenterology, but "Downhill varices" (DHV) or varices of the upper oesophagus are an uncommon cause of UGIB, with different aetiology from lower third oesophageal varices and different therapeutic implications. Case report: A 28-year-old male patient, with a history of chronic kidney failure secondary undergoing haemodialysis and superior vena cava syndrome (SCVS) due to multiple catheter replacements, was admitted to the Emergency Department with haematemesis secondary to a varicose vein rupture in the proximal third of oesophagus, treated initially with ethanolamine. Subsequent diagnostic studies showed the collateral circulation secondary to the SCVS. No further endoscopic or endovascular therapy could be performed and the patient will finally undergo a surgical bypass. Discussion: DHVs are a very uncommon condition and endoscopic band ligation emerges as the appropriate therapeutic approach for the bleeding event. The definitive therapy continues to be that for the cause of the SVCS.
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