[Endoscopic treatment of severe digestive hemorrhage by hemostatic injection]

The results of emergency endoscopic treatment of severe non variceal bleeding in the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract by hemostatic injections are reported. Most of the 44 patients were seriously ill and had a high surgical risk. Definitive hemostasis was obtained in 88.6 per cent of cases. Twenty-five patients had active bleeding which was arrested in 84 per cent of cases. There were no serious complications related to the technique. The overall survival rate was 52 per cent. Ten of the 13 deaths were not due to gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The authors advocate this simple, effective and inexpensive method as the initial treatment of ulcerated gastrointestinal bleeding in critically ill patients.