WHITE BALL APPEARANCE IN ENDOSCOPIC LIGATION OF BLEEDING ESOPHAGEAL-VARICES

Background: Endoscopic variceal ligation is useful in the control of b leeding from esophageal varices. However, confirmation of ligation pre cisely at the site of bleeding is usually difficult when treating mass ive variceal bleeding. Characteristic endoscopic findings that appeare d when ligation was performed at the site of bleeding are reported in this article. Methods: Emergency endoscopic variceal ligation was perf ormed in 14 patients with active bleeding from esophageal varices. End oscopic findings after variceal ligation at the site of bleeding were compared with those at sites without bleeding. Results: Active bleedin g ceased just after endoscopic ligation at the site of bleeding in all patients. After ligation of the bleeding site of the varix, an unusua l white-colored ball-like appearance (white ball appearance) was obser ved in all patients. This finding was markedly different from the purp le-colored ball-like appearance that is usually observed after ligatio n of a varix at a site without bleeding. Conclusions: White ball appea rance was a characteristic finding that appeared after ligation of a v arix at the site of bleeding. This finding may be useful in the confir mation of successful ligation of a varix at its bleeding site.