[Value of endoscopy in the diagnosis of upper digestive tract hemorrhage]

In 11 years experience (67-78) we studied the importance of endoscopy in HDA. Were carried out 8300 esophagogastroduodenal endoscopies of which 2837 were HDA. The main reasons to follow these studies were: 1) Diagnostic of the HDA location; 2) Diagnostic of type of injury; 3) Injury intensity. Referring to the findings 30% were duodenal ulcer; 27% hemorrhagic gastritis; 17% gastric ulcer and 10% were due to VE. From the remaining 10% the most frequent were the esophagitis and gastric cancer. It is most important to show that aspiring added to alcohol in the most common cause of hemorrhagic gastritis. We have to point out that in 42 endoscopies performed in Intensive Care Service 10 of them were due to non-digestive causes. Through this method of diagnosis the Endoscopist has an important role to play in defining the prognosis and conduct to be followed.