[Complications of endoscopic sclerotherapy of esophageal varices]

Within the framework of a retrospective study complications of endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy were analyzed. From April, 1, 1988 till August, 31, 1994 267 consecutive patients (158 male, 109 female, mean age 43 [27-78] years) with esophageal variceal hemorrhage due to liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension underwent endoscopic variceal injection treatment. Sclerotherapy was performed with 24.5 ml (12-34 ml) 1% of polydocanole on average per treatment. Each patient had 4.5 (2-7) therapy sessions on average. Local complications were: Transient dysphagia (73%), chest pain (65%), esophageal ulcerations (63%), ulerogenic bleeding (14%), posttherapeutic hemorrhage (13%), esophageal strictures (10%), pleural effusions (9%), subfebrile temperatures (6.4%), pericarditis (0.4%) and esophageal perforation (0.4%). No patient died from sclerotherapy-induced side effects. In conclusion, endoscopic injection therapy is an efficient treatment of acute variceal hemorrhage. Not severe local complications often occur, severe side effects are extremely rare, however.