Abstract

Liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma is the major cause of mortality in Taiwan. Gastroesophageal variceal bleeding is the main consequence of these chronic liver diseases. The bleeding from gastroesophageal varices is usually torrential and fatal. The bleeding related hospital death is more than 30%. If the patient survive the bleeding, early rebleeding within 6 weeks is also more than 30%. We have devoted to the researches of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding and its pathogenesis (" portal hypertension: PHT") since early 1980, which includes animal studies and human studies. The animal studies consist of the set-up of PHT animal model, pathophysiological and pharmacodynamic studies of PHT by using innovated "in vitro" and "in vivo" system and also molecular biology technique. The human studies consist of portal hemodynamic studies of various pharmacological compounds, hemostatic studies of different drugs and endoscopic methods, natural history and pathomorphological studies of gastroesophageal varices. These results have been consolidated into more than 100 papers including more than 20 papers published in top journals such as: "Gastroenterology" and "Hepatology. These publications had been the important references for evolving international guideline and consensus for the treatment of gastroesophageal varices. The achievements also made our hospital the world-renowned medical center for the study of portal hypertension and gastroesophageal varices, and also the most important referred and busy center for the management of gastroesophageal varices in Taiwan.