overview
- Esophageal varices
- Open esophageal varices pop-up dialog
- Esophageal varices are abnormal, enlarged veins in the tube that connects your throat and stomach (gullet). This condition is more common in people with severe liver disease.
Esophageal varices occur when normal blood flow to the liver is blocked by a clot or scar tissue in the liver. To bypass blockages, blood flows through smaller blood vessels that are not designed to hold large amounts of blood. The vessels can leak or even burst, causing potentially fatal bleeding. Varices, esophageal Treatment in Khammam
Symptoms
Esophageal varices usually don’t cause signs and symptoms unless they’re bleeding.
Signs and symptoms of bleeding esophageal varices include:
- Vomiting large amounts of blood
- Black, tarry, or bloody stools
- dizziness
- Loss of consciousness in severe cases
The reasons
Esophageal varices sometimes form when blood flow to your liver is blocked, most often from scar tissue in the liver caused by liver disease. The blood flow begins to straighten out, increasing the pressure in the large vein (portal vein) that carries blood to your liver.
This increased pressure (portal hypertension) forces the blood to find other routes through smaller veins, for example in the lower part of the esophagus. These thin-walled veins swell with the added blood. Sometimes the veins tear and bleed.
Risk factors
Although many people with advanced liver disease develop esophageal varices, most have no bleeding. Esophageal varices are more likely to bleed if you:
High portal venous pressure. The risk of bleeding increases with increasing pressure in the portal vein (portal hypertension).
Large varicose veins. The larger the esophageal varices, the more likely they are to bleed.
Red spots on varicose veins. Some esophageal varices show long red streaks or red spots when viewed through a thin, flexible tube (endoscope) passed through the neck. These markings indicate a high risk of bleeding.
Severe cirrhosis or liver failure. The more severe your liver disease is, the more likely it is that esophageal varices will bleed.
Complications
The most serious complication of esophageal varices is bleeding. Once you’ve had a bleeding episode, the risk of another bleeding episode increases dramatically. If you lose enough blood you can go into shock that can be fatal.
preventions
Currently, no treatment can prevent the development of esophageal varices in people with cirrhosis. Although beta blockers are effective in preventing bleeding in many people with esophageal varices, they do not prevent esophageal varices from forming.
If you have been diagnosed with liver disease, ask your doctor about strategies to avoid complications from liver disease. To keep your liver healthy:
- Don’t drink alcohol. People with liver disease are often advised to stop drinking alcohol because the liver processes the alcohol. Alcohol consumption can put a strain on an already damaged liver.
- Eating healthy. Choose a plant-based diet that is high in fruits and vegetables. Choose whole grains and lean sources of protein. Reduce the amount of fatty and fried foods you eat.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Too much body fat can damage your liver. Obesity is associated with a higher risk of complications from cirrhosis. Lose weight if you are obese or overweight.