Abstract

Transection and devascularization procedures have been by far the most popular operations for the treatment of oesophagogastric varices in Japan during the last two decades1-5 and although since the new development of endoscopic sclerotherapy during the last ten years the number of patients treated by operation has decreased considerably, these procedures still remain the treatment of choice in many of the surgical institutions in Japan, especially in good-risk patients with oesophagogastric varices.