Objective       To assess the efficacy of esophageal and gastric variceal band ligation (EGVL) vs esophageal variceal band ligation (EVL) on the treatment of different types of gastric varices (GV)

and investigate the influencing factors of postoperative outcomes.       Methods       A total of 231 patients with GV who received these 2 types of treatment in our department from January 2010 to December 2013 were retrospectively enrolled in this study. There were 90 patients receiving EGVL and the other 141 patients undergoing EVL. Their clinical data were collected and retrospectively summarized. Their GV varices

postoperative elimination rate

rebleeding rate

recurrence rate and survival time were compared between the 2 groups to analyze the effect of the gastrorenal or splenorenal shunts on postoperative patients with GV.       Results       There was significant difference in the degree of GV varices between the 2 surgical approaches for gastroesophageal varices type 2 (GOV2) (P0.01). In EGVL group

the hemostasis rate was 97.8%

the eliminating rate was 92.2%

the recurrence rate was 13.3%

and the rebleeding rate was 18.2%. While for the EVL group

the hemostasis rate was 92.9%

the eliminating rate was 55.2%

the recurrence rate was 10.8%

and the rebleeding rate was 32.8%. Significant differences were found in the elimination rate and rebleeding rate (Chi square=35.155

P0.01; Chi square=5.734

P=0.017)

but no difference was seen in the recurrence rate (P0.05). For gastroesophageal varices type 1 (GOV1) or GOV1 +GOV2

there were differences in the eliminating rate and rebleeding rate between the 2 approaches (P0.01). But for GOV2

significant difference was found in the elimination rate (P0.01)

but not in the rebleeding rate (P0.05) between the 2 approaches. There was no obvious difference in the survival time for GOV1 and GOV2 by neither approaches (P0.05). The results of upper abdomen CTA exhibited that of the 58.3% (42/72) GV patients with gastrorenal or splenorenal shunts

there were differences in recurrence rate of GV and rebleeding rate between  those with and without the gastrorenal or splenorenal shunts (Chi square=9.914

P0.01; Chi square=7.200

P0.01).       Conclusion       EGVL is superior to EVL in the terms of postoperative GV elimination and rebleeding. Both EGVL and EVL are effective in the treatment of GV bleeding and prevention of rebleeding. The gastrorenal or splenorenal shunts have effect on the GV recurrence and rebleeding.