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Post-sclerotherapy bacterial peritonitis.
1Division of Gastroenterology, Salt Lake City VA Medical Center, Utah.
The American Journal of Gastroenterology
|April 1, 1991
Summary
Peritonitis is a rare complication of endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy, occurring in about 3% of procedures. Prophylactic antibiotics may prevent peritonitis, but further research is needed.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Endoscopic procedures
- Infectious complications
Background:
- Endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy is a common treatment for esophageal varices.
- Complications can arise from sclerotherapy, though peritonitis is rare.
Observation:
- A retrospective review analyzed 213 sclerotherapy procedures in 65 patients over 3 years.
- Six cases of peritonitis were identified, an incidence of approximately 3%.
Findings:
- Patients who developed peritonitis had low ascitic fluid protein, similar to those without peritonitis.
- No patients receiving antibiotics during sclerotherapy developed peritonitis.
Implications:
- Peritonitis should be considered in patients with fever after sclerotherapy.
- The efficacy of prophylactic antibiotics in preventing post-sclerotherapy peritonitis requires further investigation.