[Effects of somatostatin in oesophagal bleeding (author's transl)]

We used intravenous synthetic somatostatin to stem severe bleeding from oesophagites and oesophageal ulcer associated with renal failure hyponatremia and mental confusion. The ability of somatostatin to reduce splanchnic blood flow and portal pressure and to inhibit both gastrin release and the pentagastrin-stimulated secretion of gastric acid and pepsin provides its therapeutic use in multiple alimentary bleeding. When patients is considered poor candidate for surgery, somatostatin may prove a particularly valuable alternative to conventional medical treatments. We observed no side effects, with somatostatin, during a 72 h period of treatment. Since cimetidine give rise to mental confusion in ureamia or hyponatremia, somatostatin should be looked upon with particular interest in cases of gastro-intestinal bleeding associated with renal insufficiency.