Is there any treatment for the esophageal varices?

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I am 460 lbs. I have Type II non-insulin dependant Diabetes, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypersplenia.

I was scheduled for Gastric Bypass surgery on April 5th, 2007 but they aborted the operation due to the esophageal varices. The GI specialist that my bariatric surgeon sent me to says there in NO TREATMENT. Yet my surgeon will not allow a second opinion. Please leave any advice you have.
The treatment for esophageal varices is directed immediately to control the bleeding, and then long-term medical therapy. Immediate control of bleeding is usually performed by endoscopic means. In fact, bleeding can be initially controlled in approximately 90 percent of cases. However, the failure rate for endoscopic therapy is between 10 and 30 percent. Thus, longer term therapy is required in order to prevent a patient from bleeding.

Variceal hemorrhage stops spontaneously in approximately 62 to 70 percent cases. However, recurrent bleeding occurs in 40 percent of patients within the next 72 hours. In fact, 60 percent of patients will rebleed within seven days of their initial bleeding. Although this type of bleeding will stop, it is the high rebleeding rate and the complications from acute hemorrhage which make control of bleeding mandatory in both the initial period of the variceal bleed and the chronic state after the patient has been stabilized.

Variants of esophageal varices are gastric varices. Gastric varices are dilated blood vessels that are found predominantly in the stomach. The true incidence of gastric varices is unknown. However, investigators have reported a wide incidence ranging between 20 and 70 percent in patients with esophageal varices. When gastric varices are identified without coexisting esophageal varices, a splenic vein thrombosis may be present.

Another variant of portal hypertension is portal hypertensive gastropathy. It is present in 50 percent of patients with portal hypertension. These patients have dilated arterioles and venules (small veins). This abnormality is seen usually in the fundus and cardia of the stomach (approximately 2/3 of the stomach). It is rarely seen in the antrum (last 1/3) of the stomach. It appears to have a "snake skin " or "reticulated" appearance.

Long-term treatment of portal gastropathy and gastric varices is with beta-blockers. They usually take the form of propranolol, a nonselective beta-blocker. These medications allow the pressure within the veins to be decreased, thus reducing the chance that bleeding will occur. Increased incidence of portal hypertensive gastropathy is noted in patients who undergo sclerotherapy for esophageal varices in the past.

Other treatments for upper GI bleeding associated with esophageal varices include vasopressin, vasopressin with nitroglycerin, somatostatin, balloon tamponade, TPSS (transhepatic portosystemic shunt), transhepatic catheter embolization, shunt surgery, gastric stapling and sclerotherapy with or without any.

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can you have gastric bypass surgery if you have esophageal varices and cirroisis of the liver?

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you couldnt get the gastric bypass which is a bypass made around the stomach but u can get what i had and thats the gastic stapling aka lap band. They take your stomach and put a band around the top tip of it so that not as much food can enter you will have to get your gallbadder removed but it shouldnt harm anything elese because everything else is still the same where as it wouldnt be if you got gastric bypass. Did i help  (+ info)

esophageal varices how much time to take off of work?

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esophageal varices how much days does it take to recuperate from this procedure , anyone taking off from work. besides the the one day to get procedure done more than one day?
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what is the difference between gastric varices and oesophageal varices?

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If you have a strong stomach this is a picture of a varix; http://www.residentandstaff.com/files/ArticleFiles/rsp_0509_12_f2.gif

A varix (plural varices) is a blood vessel wich had become very swollen and is prone to bursting.

In the troat they're called esophegal varices and you see them on the inside of the throat with an endoscope; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esophageal_varices

In the stomach they're called gastric varices and you see them on the inside of the stomach lining; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastric_varices  (+ info)

how chronic liver disease, esophageal varices and hematemesis are interconnected?

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pathophysiology of how chronic liver disease is connected to hematemesis?
  (+ info)

can you tell me about esophageal varices?

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were can i find info about esophageal... can they be healed or treated...
Esophageal varices are an outpouching of blood vessels in the esophageus. They are treatable, with various procedures.  (+ info)

can you die from gastric varices with liver failure and hep b?

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A Healthy liver is usually smooth and soft textured.
When Inflammation develops because of liver cell
damage, the liver enlarges in size and takes on a
spongy texture.
When the liver cells start to die off, they can no
longer do all the functions of the liver and this
is known as "liver failure".
As more cells die off, it forms scar tissue inside
the liver that blocks the flow of blood through the
liver and to the other liver cells...this is the disease
known as Cirrhosis of the liver.

Varies develop from Portal hypertensions and
the liver dying inside the patient. As more cells
continue to die off, the disease advances.
Soon, the blood can no longer flow well through
the liver back to the heart. It backs up into the
Portal veins that would normally bring the blood
to the liver from the entire abdominal region.
This causes pressure in this vessel (known
as portal hypertension). It also backs up into
collateral vessels that develop and other
smaller vessels that may have weak spots and
balloon outward and break open. These are
usually found in the esophagus, belly button
region, and the rectum. Any blood showing
up in the vomit, sputum, or from the rectum
is an emergency. The liver isn't able to make
clotting factors anymore to help the blood to
clot. Because of the backed up blood, the
spleen is also enlarged and can trap the
platelets inside of it that would normally
stop the flow of blood by signalling the immune
system. People who have cirrhosis, tend to
bleed and bruise very easily.

There are different methods that the doctor
uses to stop the bleeding varies, but the most
common is Banding. Most of the time it is
used in esophagus varies bleeding, because
it occurs mostly there.
Here is a link to a site that shows these varies
and explains this further. This site is graphic...
it is an gastroenterology site: (just click on the
link)
http://www.murrasaca.com/Esophagealvarices.htm
(This site has so much more information, even on
Hepatic Cirrhosis, just click on what you would like
to view in the left hand side of the screen)

The bleeding has to be stopped or the patient may
bleed internally or bleed out completely. And, yes,
if the patient doesn't get immediate medical
attention and have the bleeding stopped...they can
die from it.

Hepatitis B is a virus that has entered
a patients body and is using the liver
cells to replicate itself. As the virus
uses the liver cell, it will then die off.
Doctors try to determine how much
of the virus is in the body...it is called
a viral load. Some people can live
many years with a virus. Some people
become carriers of the virus, but the
virus doesn't affect them. However,
some progress in the disease and
it can lead to Cirrhosis of the liver and
the need for a liver transplant.
There is no cure for Cirrhosis, but the
doctor can try to slow the process down.
Yes, patients have died because of
this. Treatment with different medications
can be started to try and remove the
virus from the body. These treatments
can be given before having a
transplant or after having one. Those
who do have Hepatitis virus are able
to be evaluated and receive a transplant.
Even though this is a Hepatitis C site...
it gives so much information here that
is valuable to those who have any
type:
http://www.janis7hepc.com/

I hope this information has been of some help to you.  (+ info)

what is gastric esophageal?

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what is gastric esophageal, how does it start and what is recommended treatment
Your description is incomplete. Gastric means stomach. esophageal means pertaining to the esophagus, or the tube that your food travels to reach the stomach.
I assume you have some disorder in that region. Your physician can advise you on medications and treatment. Most disorders are caused by gastric acid and are treated by medications that will block the production of acid or neutralize it. Over the counter medications are Tums, Gaviscon, Ranitidine etc. Check with your pharmacist or doctor.  (+ info)

pathophysilogy diagram of esophageal varices?

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Please see the web page for more details and images on Esophageal varices  (+ info)

i have cirrosis of liver(non drinker), enlarged spleen, esophogeal varices, gastric ulcers, what do i do?

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the drs. will not operate on me, said i'm too great a risk. I also have
Diabetes and take insulin.
you should be on-line looking up diabetes associations and support groups because they will have links and connections into options you don't have access to as a patient..doctors don't make referrals to these organizations. we sort of have to find them on our own. Most of them are run on grants and donations so you shouldn't have issues paying for the information or advice. they can help you with insurance companies, and some clinics will even go to bat and bully the insurance into paying for stuff they wouldn't normally pay for. so don't loose hope the best thing you can do is to educate your self as to what is out there. Sort of like the groups that run the cancer treatment centers of America  (+ info)

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