Stent insertion for bleeding oesophageal varices

1 Guidance

This document replaces previous guidance on stent insertion for bleeding oesophageal varices (interventional procedure guidance 265).

1.1 Current evidence on stent insertion for bleeding oesophageal varices is from small numbers of patients, but shows no major safety concerns. There is evidence to show that this procedure is efficacious in selected patients in whom other methods of treatment have failed to control bleeding. Therefore this procedure may be used provided that normal arrangements are in place for clinical governance, consent and audit.