Early and late complications of endoscopic oesophageal varices sclerotherapy

We report the complications of perendoscopic sclerotherapy observed during treatment of oesophageal varices in 104 patients and 409 sclerotherapy sessions. Complications were related to each individual session and to the aim of the treatment (therapeutic or prophylactic). Major complications occurred in 17.3% of the patients treated: 13 cases of severe bleeding and 5 of oesophageal stricture. Conservative therapy stopped haemorrhage in all but 4 patients, who died of uncontrolled bleeding (3.8%). Three oesophageal strictures recovered spontaneously, while the remaining two required endoscopic dilations. Minor complications occurred after 102/409 sessions (24.9%). Epigastric and/or retrosternal pain developed after 17.6% of the sessions, oesophageal ulcerations after 12.5%, fever after 11.7% and transient dysphagia after 3.7%. Bleeding was observed only in Child's category C patients who underwent therapeutic treatment. The risk of bleeding remained unchanged until complete eradication of varices was achieved. The incidence of minor complications did not correlate with the progression or the aim of the treatment.