[Disturbances of pulmonary gas exchange after sclerotherapy for esophageal varices]

Sclerotherapy of esophageal varices is a procedure which caries high risk of DIC and ARDS syndrome induced by intravenous administration of obliterative agent. The aim of the study was to investigate hematological and arterial and venous gasometric parameters before and after injection of 5% ethanolamine oleate (EO) to the esophageal varices. These investigations were carried out in 9 patients with liver cirrhosis (Child B and C) and in 7 dogs witch were infused with EO to the inferior vena cava. Both patients and animals had the values of pAO2, pVO2, satAO2, satVO2 and platelets count decreased but pACO2 and pVCO2 increased after injection of EO. PhA and phV values increased only in investigated patients but not in dogs in which decreased values of Hb, HT and RBC after EO injection were found. This observation was not confirmed in the treated patients. Conducted investigations show that EO injections to the venous system causes significant changes in the pulmonary function in humans as well as in the dogs.