Complete esophageal obstruction: an ususual complication of esophageal variceal ligation

Abstract

A 65-year-old woman with cirrhosis presented having suffered from acute chest discomfort and difficulty swallowing for 1 day. Two weeks previously, she had undergone esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) with endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) for bleeding esophageal varices. Repeat EVL was done on the day before the present admission for continued variceal eradication. After the procedure, the patient developed acute retrosternal discomfort and inability to tolerate oral intake, which worsened with observation.