Dilated veins within the esophagus associated with patients who have portal hypertension and cirrhosis of the liver. When these veins break, severe life threatening bleeding can occur. Endoscopy and control of the bleeding by banding, sclerotherapy and balloon tamponade may be necessary to control the hemorrhage.
In medicine (gastroenterology), esophageal varices are extremely dilated sub-mucosal veins in the esophagus. They are most often a consequence of portal hypertension, such as may be seen with cirrhosis.