EUS Guided Portal-systemic Pressure Gradient Measurement to Predict Treatment Response and Outcomes of Varices to Endoscopic Variceal Ligation in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis.

The aim of the current study is to assess if EUS-PPGM could predict the treatment response and outcomes of varices to endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) in patients with chronic hepatitis. The hypothesis is that a high EUS-PPGM value at 3 months correlates with the presence of varices requiring EVL in patients that have received primary or secondary variceal prophylaxis on 1 year follow-up upper endoscopy.

Inclusion Criteria:Age between 18 to 75 years oldInformed consent availableSuffering from chronic hepatitis induced cirrhosisSuffering from oesophageal varices and received EVL as a result ofPrimary variceal prophylaxis during a variceal surveillance program on oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) orSecondary variceal prophylaxis after EVL in patients with active oesophageal variceal bleedingOr bleeding gastric varices that have received endoscopic canoacrylate injectionExclusion Criteria:Medical Child-Pugh Class C Uncorrected platelet count <50,000 INR > 1.5 (natural) History of hepatic encephalopathy Current or history of hepatocellular carcinomaAnatomical Main portal vein thrombosis Anatomic alterations of the hepatic vasculature that prevent access to the portal vein or intrahepatic portion of the hepatic veins (identified at screening and/or during the endoscopic procedure).Previous history of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis within the previous three months Portopulmonary hypertension Cardiac decompensation- Endoscopically Confirmed Exclusion Criteria Presence of ascites in the path of the needle that prevents apposition of the gastrointestinal tract and liver.Presence of gastric or duodenal ulcers, dieulafoy's lesion or cancers