Successful endoscopic injection sclerotherapy of a bleeding duodenal varix

Bleeding from duodenal varices is an unusual event. We report the case of a 50-yr-old man with portal hypertension due to alcoholic cirrhosis who presented with upper gastrointestinal bleeding and encephalopathy. Emergent endoscopy revealed an actively bleeding duodenal varix. The bleeding was treated successfully with injection sclerotherapy. Only four cases of injection sclerotherapy of bleeding duodenal varices have been reported previously. We review and compare reported cases of sclerotherapy of duodenal varices and also review the other therapeutic options. Endoscopic injection sclerotherapy of bleeding duodenal varices appears to be a useful first-line therapy.