Abstract

MOREIRA BARINAGA, Olga Magdalena et al. Current knowledge of variceal upper digestive bleeding. Rev Cub Med Mil [online]. 2018, vol.47, n.3, pp. 1-14. ISSN 1561-3046.

The hemorrhages that occur in the digestive tract and in particular those of variceal origin, constitute a surgical medical emergency; despite current scientific and technological advances, its prognosis remains reserved. This review was carried out with the purpose of delving into various current cognitive aspects of variceal digestive hemorrhage. A documentary review was carried out by digital thematic search of national and foreign articles, published in Spanish and English during the present century, concerning variceal digestive hemorrhage. There is diversity of criteria regarding the diagnosis and treatment of high variceal digestive bleeding. The need for a care unit for these patients in hospitals, the availability of full-time upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and a multidisciplinary team to provide an integrative therapy is evident. The scheduled operative act should only be performed in the ideal Child-Pugh class, but because interventions are usually urgent in stage B or C, the chances of complications and death are increased. Esophagogastric varices, despite being considered an infrequent cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, usually have a torpid outcome in those who present it, so that adequate diagnosis and treatment are a real challenge for any surgical service.

Keywords : portal hypertension; hepatic cirrhosis; esophageal and gastric varices; gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

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