Severe Hemorrhage from Esophagogastric Varices

Abstract

SURGICAL amelioration of portal hypertension by venous shunt has wide acceptance as the method of choice for eliminating the great hazard of fatal recurrence for those who survive any hemorrhage from esophagogastric varices.^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8} Elective end-to-side direct portacaval shunting procedures over the years 1948 through 1958 for the treatment of this type of bleeding at St. Vincent's Hospital of the City of New York have had a hospital mortality of 15 per cent. There have been no cases of rebleeding from ruptured varices after successful establishment of this shunt when the portal vein was devoid of thrombosis and a satisfactory pressure . . .