From 1 October 1981 to 30 June 1986, 265 patients were treated for acute bleeding from esophageal or fundal varices; 61 patients were aged between 70 and 90 years. The emergency situation was treated conservatively (Sengstaken tube; transfusion; intensive laxative measures). In all cases these measures temporarily controlled the bleeding and rapidly stabilized the patient's condition. Treatment of the varices with methods of intravascular high-pressure sclerosing followed ten hours later. There was no significant difference in survival rate between those over and those under 70 years. After 24 months about 50% of patients in both groups were still alive. It is concluded that sclerosing offers to very old patients a genuine chance of survival. Long-time prognosis depends on factors which are not related to the sclerosing method.