PROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF INJECTION SCLEROTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE BLEEDING FROM ESOPHAGEAL-VARICES

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 85  (3) , 239-245
Abstract
In a 25 mo. study of massive upper-gastrointestinal hemorrhage, emergency endoscopy revealed esophageal varices in 64 patients. Twenty-four patients were actively bleeding from varices and were treated with a Sengstaken tube, and in 22 this was followed by emergency injection sclerotherapy using a rigid esophagoscope and general anesthesia. These 22 patients were followed prospectively and had 51 episodes of endoscopically proven active bleeding from esophageal varices which required Sengstaken tube control of hemorrhage during 36 separate admissions. This group included all experiences of injection sclerotherapy in acute variceal bleeding. The majority (14 of 22 patients) had alcoholic cirrhosis. Definitive control of variceal bleeding during the period of hospitalization was achieved in 33 hospital admissions (92%), usually with a single injection (27 hospital admissions: 75%). The results were satisfactory in 26 hospital admissions (72%). There were 9 deaths (41% overall patient mortality rate), but no patient died primarily of variceal bleeding and exsanguinating variceal bleeding was no longer a problem. The mortality rate per injection was 18%, and the mortality rate per hospital admission was 25%. Injection sclerotherapy is proposed as the emergency treatment of choice for patients with proven bleeding esophageal varices who do not stop bleeding on initial conservative treatment.