Endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) and endoscopic sclerotherapy for consolidation (EIS) were employed in 20 patients suffering from liver chirrhosis with esophageal varices (F₁ ; n=5, F₂ ; n=15) . Variceal angles were determined in each patients as follows.
From picture using ultrasonic miniature probe (UMP) each varix was given its own individual angle corresponding to its width on esophageal surface length transversally. Variceal angles were then determined as the sum of each individual variceal angle. The severity of varices were evaluated by variceal angles and cardiac venous dilatation (3 mm or more diameter) , and efficasy of EVL with/without EIS was determined by mucosa and submucosa thickness all of which were obtained from UMP pictures. EVL group was devided to EVL-A group (less than 12 O-rings) and EVL-B group (12 O-rings or more) .
Before treatments variceal angles were greater in F₂ group significantly (p<0.01) than F₁ group, and in cardiac venous dilatation group significantly (p<0.05) greater than those in without dilatation group. After treatments esophageal mucosa and submucosa thickness in EVL-B group as well as EVL with EIS group were greater significantly (p<0.01) than in EVL-A group respectively.
From these results above it was suggested that variceal angles and cardiac venous dilatation were related to the variceal severity, and that more O-rings used rendered a more effective therapy of esophageal varices.