ENDOSCOPIC SCLEROTHERAPY - PERSONAL-EXPERIENCE

Over the last 12 years, treatment of bleeding esophageal and gastric varices has improved considerably. By the use of new techniques and with increased experience the results of endoscopic sclerotherapy have been optimized. Acute variceal bleeding, esophageal or gastric, can now be reliably and definitively stopped using the tissue adhesive Histoacryl(R) Blau. This is also applicable to all patients irrespective of their liver status at presentation. As expected, the mortality of acute variceal bleeders has decreased considerably, no death from bleeding occurring in the last 5 years. This has obviated the need for emergency surgery, balloon tamponade or vasopressin infusion. Using an aggressive sclerotherapy technique in the bleeding-free interval, varices of all grades can now be effectively eliminated within an average of 3 sessions covering 3-4 weeks. With the intra- cum peri-variceal injection technique not only are the visible veins eradicated, but also fibrosis of the inner esophageal wall is achieved at the same time. If careful attention is paid to certain details of the technique and instruments, and with close follow-up, patients of portal hypertension can now live well in terms of liver function, without the danger of further variceal bleeding.