Final answer:
The agents used to treat esophageal varices by hardening and destroying vessels are known as sclerotherapy agents and they help shrink the veins. Endovenous thermal ablation is another method using heat. If non-surgical methods are inadequate, surgical options like vein stripping or ambulatory phlebectomy may be undertaken.
Step-by-step explanation:
Agents used to treat esophageal varices by hardening and destroying vessels to prevent blood flow are known as sclerotherapy agents. Sclerotherapy involves injecting medicine directly into the veins causing them to shrink. In addition to sclerotherapy, endovenous thermal ablation is another non-surgical treatment option which uses laser light, radio-frequency energy, or steam to heat the walls of the veins, leading them to collapse.
For the most severe cases where non-surgical methods are not sufficient, surgical interventions may be necessary. The most invasive form is vein stripping, wherein the vein, or part of it, is removed while the patient is under general anesthesia. A less invasive surgical alternative is ambulatory phlebectomy, which involves the removal of short segments of vein through small incisions under local anesthesia.