Some people may suffer from the problem of varicose veins, which may appear in different places in the body, and sometimes these varicose veins may not be visible, but may appear inside the body, and stomach varicose veins are one of the forms of internal varicose veins.

What are gastric varices?

They are a type of varicose veins that some may call abdominal varicose, and they are varicose veins that appear on the mucous wall of the stomach, where blood collects and appears in the form of veins as one of the complications of the problem of portal blood pressure or obstruction of the portal vein in patients with cirrhosis of the liver.

Abdominal or stomach varices are more dangerous than esophageal varices, and they occur at a lower rate than esophageal varices, as they occur at a rate less than 20% in patients with cirrhosis.

Symptoms of stomach varicose

Some symptoms can appear in the event of a rupture of the swollen veins, and they are:

• Bleeding occurs.
• Feeling of restlessness and fullness.
• Swollen veins around the stomach.
• Loss of consciousness and prolonged sleep.

Causes of varicose veins

The causes of gastric varices vary, but they can occur as a result of:

Some people without cirrhosis may develop portal hypertension, which leads to gastric varices, due to portal vein obstruction, portal vein thrombosis, or the use of certain medications.

Diagnosis of gastric varices

People with this type of varicose veins usually undergo a number of tests, which may help detect cirrhosis of the liver, including:

• Physical examination, in which the doctor checks various body parameters such as heart rate, breathing rate, and abdominal examination.
• Esophagogastroduodenoscopy.
• X-ray and ultrasound examination.
• CT scan or MRI of the liver.
• Doppler rays.
• Liver biopsy.

Stomach varicose treatment

The methods of dealing with this type of varicose vary, but it is possible to deal with some of its types and degrees, especially gastric esophageal varices, because they are similar to esophageal varices, and whatever the degree to which the patient suffers, the methods of dealing with the condition ultimately depend on the severity of the case, as it is dealt with according to For primary prevention methods and methods of dealing with bleeding and secondary prevention, and the matter is as follows:

Primary methods

In this case, beta-blockers are used to treat portal blood pressure, and the non-selective type can be used to treat some cases, and the most popular types that are used are Propranolol or Nadolol.

Dealing with severe bleeding

Bleeding is dealt with in several steps:

• Admitting the patient to the intensive care unit for red blood cell transfusion and respiratory protection.
• Certain antibiotics are given to some patients, especially those with cirrhosis, to prevent any bacterial infection.

An upper endoscopy (endoscopy) may be performed to find more appropriate treatment methods for the condition. Other methods may be used to deal with bleeding, including:

1- gastric varices injection

• Sclerotherapy injections, which are injections that contain fluids such as alcohol, polidocanol or trisulfur, but are not highly recommended, as they may increase bleeding rates in some.
• Thrombin injection, which is an injection that is injected directly to stop bleeding.
• Cyanoacrylate gum injections, which are gum injections that are mixed with fats or oils and injected into the veins.

2- TIPS

It is a process that involves a diversion between the liver and the portal vein, whereby the blood flow from the portal vein is diverted, reducing pressure on it, and it is an effective way to prevent bleeding from happening again.

3- Retro-injection process (PROTO)

It is a safe procedure used to stop bleeding, where the varicose veins are injected with retro sclerotherapy, after making a shunt inside the body, such as an enterohepatic shunt, and this method is more effective than bypass surgery.

4- Balloon stopper

It is a procedure performed in patients with large varicose veins that cannot be treated with endoscopic treatment, so this procedure is used to prepare the body for other treatment methods.

5- Surgical procedure

It is a process that aims to control the bleeding of infectious varicose veins, and it is the last solution that doctors resort to after the failure of previous methods. The spleen is removed in patients with severe variceal bleeding caused by splenic clots.

Secondary preventive methods

In this type, beta-blockers are used with endoscopic therapy to prevent re-bleeding, and bypass surgery between the liver and the portal artery or by retrograde injection can be used.

Now, at the conclusion of our article about the causes and treatment of gastric varicose veins, we remind you that this case is a serious condition that needs medical care, so it is important to listen to the doctor’s directions carefully, and we wish you good health.