Assessment of Severity of Esophageal Varices by Splenic Index in Cirrhotic Patients

Abstract

Objective: To determine the relationship between the splenic index and the severity of
esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients.
Material and Methods: Fifty patients who had coarse echotexture of liver on abdominal
ultrasound and clinically palpable spleen were selected. Splenic index was calculated using
abdominal ultrasound as a product of longitudinal length and transverse width across the hilus of
the spleen. These patients were then subjected to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and
esophageal varices were noticed and severity was assessed using grades from 0-3.
Results: Relationship was observed between the splenic index and the severity of esophageal
varices.
Conclusion: Splenic index can be a useful non invasive method to determine the severity of
esophageal varices in patients suffering from hepatic cirrhosis.