Future Prospects in the Treatment of Portal Hypertension

Various complications, such as esophagogastric varices, ectopic varices, ascites, and hepatic encephalopathy, can occur in portal hypertension. Bleeding from esophagogastric or ectopic varices is the most critical complication of portal hypertension. In 1980, general rules for recording endoscopic findings of esophageal varices were initially proposed in Japan. Revised rules were proposed as “General Rules for Recording Endoscopic Findings of Esophagogastric Varices (1991)” and “General Rules for Recording Endoscopic Findings of Esophagogastric Varices (2010).” The revised rules are simpler and more straightforward than the former rules. In 2013, “General Rules for Study of Portal Hypertension” was proposed by the Japan Society for Portal Hypertension. These rules have widely been used in Japan and other countries.