Between 1975 and 1984, 419 patients with bleeding oesophagogastric varices were subjected to the simplified operation of highly selective devascularization. All but three were available for follow-up at 5-10 years. The overall mortality rates for urgent and elective operation were 8 and 2 per cent respectively. The overall recurrent bleeding rates at 1, 5 and 10 years were 8 per cent, 13 per cent (15 per cent of survivors) and 17 per cent (24 per cent of survivors). The overall survival rates at 1, 5 and 10 years were 87, 76 and 57 per cent. Recurrent bleeding was usually controlled by endoscopic sclerotherapy and less often by reoperation. Highly selective devascularization controlled bleeding in emergency and elective situations without compromising hepatic function.