Gastric Variceal Bleeding In Patients of Liver Cirrhosis With Portal Hypertension

Abstract

Objective: to establish how common Gastric Variceal bleeding is in Chronic liver Disease patients to allow them to be screened regularly and avoid morbidity and mortality. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Gastroenterology Department, Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College, Karachi Pakistan, from Jan to Dec 2020. Methodology: A total of 135 patients with history of melena, hematemesis and known diagnosis of Chronic liver Disease for more than six months who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were enrolled in this study. Gastroscopy was carried out and dilated veins in the gastric fundus, either with active spurter or an overlying punctum, were labelled as Gastric Variceal bleeding. Results: This study included known Chronic Liver Disease patients for duration of 6 months or more with recent stigmata of upper Gastrointestinal Bleed. Out of 135 cases, 76(56.3%) were male and 59(43.7%) were female. Enrolled patients’ mean age was 51.0±5.2 years, and the mean duration of Chronic liver Disease was 4.9±2.6 years. Gastric Variceal bleeding in Chronic liver Disease patients who underwent endoscopy had a frequency of 18(13.3%) times. Conclusion: Gastric Variceal bleeding bleeding is rare but lethal complication of Chronic liver Disease, seen in patients in the age group of <50 years, female gender, hypertensive patients, and those with a duration of chronic liver disease <5 years.

Keywords

• Chronic liver disease, Cirrhosis, Esophageal varices, Gastric variceal, Portal hypertension.