[Emergency endoscopic sclerosis in active hemorrhage caused by esophageal varices: analysis of 31 cases]

We have reviewed our experience in urgent endoscopic sclerosis of bleeding esophageal veins in most patients (67.7%) secondary to alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Through the flexible gastroscope, 1% of polydocanol was injected intra and periveinaly for sclerosis. Initial and primary hemostasis was achieved in 90.3% and 87% of the cases respectively. Hemorrhage recurred in 14.2% of the patients. Hospital mortality was 38.7% (11 patients classified in Childs group C and 1 patient in group B), although only 19.3% of the patients died because of esophageal vein bleeding. These results suggest that in a satisfactory percentage of cases urgent sclerosis of esophageal veins controls active bleeding, and the hospital mortality depends mainly on the severeness of liver failure in these patients.