The esophagus (food pipe) is the tube that connects your throat to your stomach. Varices are enlarged veins that may be found in the ...YouAreHere:Home→MedicalEncyclopedia→BleedingesophagealvaricesURLofthispage://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000268.htmBleedingesophagealvaricesTheesophagus(foodpipe)isthetubethatconnectsyourthroattoyourstomach.Varicesareenlargedveinsthatmaybefoundintheesophagusinpeoplewithcirrhosisoftheliver.Theseveinsmayruptureandbleed.CausesScarring(cirrhosis)oftheliveristhemostcommoncauseofesophagealvarices.Thisscarringcutsdownonbloodflowingthroughtheliver.Asaresult,morebloodflowsthroughtheveinsoftheesophagus.Theextrabloodflowcausestheveinsintheesophagustoballoonoutward.Heavybleedingcanoccuriftheveinstear.Anytypeoflong-term(chronic)liverdiseasecancauseesophagealvarices.Varicescanalsooccurintheupperpartofthestomach.SymptomsPeoplewithchronicliverdiseaseandesophagealvaricesmayhavenosymptoms.Ifthereisonlyasmallamountofbleeding,theonlysymptommaybedarkorblackstreaksinthestools.Iflargeramountsofbleedingoccur,symptomsmayinclude:Black,tarrystoolsBloodystoolsLightheadednessPalenessSymptomsofchronicliverdiseaseVomitingbloodExamsandTestsYourhealthcareproviderwilldoaphysicalexamwhichmayshow:Bloodyorblackstool(inarectalexam)LowbloodpressureRapidheartrateSignsofchronicliverdiseaseorcirrhosisTeststofindthesourceofthebleedingandcheckifthereisactivebleedinginclude:EGDorupperendoscopy,whichinvolvestheuseofacameraonaflexibletubetoexaminetheesophagusandstomach.Insertionofatubethroughthenoseintothestomach(nasogastrictube)tolookforsignsofbleeding.SomeproviderssuggestEGDforpeoplewhoarenewlydiagnosedwithmildtomoderatecirrhosis.Thistestscreensforesophagealvaricesandtreatsthembeforethereisbleeding.TreatmentThegoaloftreatmentistostopacutebleedingassoonaspossible.Bleedingmustbecontrolledquicklytopreventshockanddeath.Ifmassivebleedingoccurs,apersonmayneedtobeputonaventilatortoprotecttheirairwayandpreventbloodfromgoingdownintothelungs.Tostopthebleeding,theprovidermaypassan endos