Impact of COVID-19 on endoscopic follow-up of gastroesophageal varices
Open Access
- 29 November 2022
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Egyptian Liver Journal
- Vol. 12 (1), 1-4
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s43066-022-00223-x
Abstract
Portal hypertension is considered as a major complication of liver cirrhosis. Endoscopy plays a main role in managing of gastrointestinal complications of portal hypertension. Endoscopists are at increased risk for COVID-19 infection because upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy is a high-risk aerosol-generating procedure and may be a potential route for COVID-19. To compare the outcome between cirrhotic patients who underwent classic regular endoscopic variceal ligation after primary bleeding episode every 2–4 weeks, and those presented during the era of COVID-19 and their follow-up were postponed 2 months later. This retrospective study included cross-matched 238 cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension presented with upper GI bleeding, 112 cirrhotic patients presented during the era of COVID19 (group A) underwent endoscopic variceal ligation, another session after 2 weeks and their subsequent follow-up was postponed 2 months later, and 126 cirrhotic patients as control (group B) underwent regular endoscopic variceal band ligation after primary bleeding episode every 2–4 weeks. Eradication of varices was achieved in 32% of cases in group A, and 46% in group was not any statistically significant (p > 0.05); also, there was no any statistical significant difference between both groups regarding occurrence of rebleeding, post endoscopic symptoms, and mortality rate (p > 0.05). Band ligation and injection of esophageal and gastric vary every 2 months were as effective and safe as doing it every 2 to 4 weeks after primary bleeding episode for further studies and validation.Keywords
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