Overview
Esophageal variceal banding, or endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL), is a medical procedure that treats enlarged veins (varices) in the esophagus. Patients with liver cirrhosis often get these varices because the pressure in the portal vein system is too high (portal hypertension). A small banding device is attached to an endoscope to do the procedure. To stop blood flow, elastic rubber bands are put around the swollen veins. This makes them shrink and eventually fall off. Esophageal variceal banding is a common way to stop or control bleeding from esophageal varices. It is usually done in a hospital.
Why It's Done
The purpose of esophageal variceal banding is to stop or prevent bleeding from enlarged veins in the esophagus. Variceal bleeding is a medical emergency that can kill you. It can make you vomit blood, have black stools, and lose a lot of blood. The procedure lowers the chance of bleeding in patients with cirrhosis who are at high risk, and it is also done right away when bleeding starts. Getting treatment early makes a big difference in how long people live.
What to Expect?
Patients are told to fast for a few hours before the procedure. If there is active bleeding, blood tests and vital signs are checked more closely. During the procedure, either sedation or general anaesthesia is given. The endoscope is carefully put into the esophagus through the mouth. After finding the varices, a special tool attached to the endoscope puts small rubber bands around them. This prevents blood from flowing into veins that are too large. Usually, the procedure takes between 20 and 30 minutes. Afterward, patients are monitored for problems such as chest pain or difficulty swallowing. Doctors may give you medicine to lower stomach acid and keep you from getting sick.
Recovery & Outlook
Most of the time, recovery is quick, but there may be some mild throat pain for a short time. It may take more than one session to completely eliminate varices. Variceal banding effectively lowers the risk of bleeding again when done properly and with good follow-up and management of liver disease.