Hypercoagulopathy after repeated injection of 5% ethanolamine oleate to sclerose esophageal varices

Hematological and coagulating parameters were examined in 53 patients in an attempt to find possible evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation after intravascular injection of 5% ethanolamine oleate to sclerose esophageal varices. FDP-E in the peripheral blood measured by latex photometric immunoassay significantly increased from 111.2 +/- 112.9 to 234.2 +/- 178.3 ng/ml and 370.4 +/- 189.5 ng/ml one hour after the first and second sessions of sclerotherapy, respectively (p less than 0.01). The other parameters showed no significant change, except on the first day after sclerotherapy. The increase of FDP-E was closely related to fibrinopeptide A (r = 0.689, p less than 0.01) and fibrinogen (r = 0.585, p less than 0.05), before the sclerotherapy. As repeated intravariceal sclerotherapy over short time intervals can lead to a deterioration of the coagulating system, especially in patients with abnormal preoperative coagulopathy, latex photometric immunoassay for FDP-E is a rapid and useful method of monitoring alterations in the coagulating system.