LONG-TERM OUTCOME OF ENDOSCOPIC SCLEROTHERAPY OF VARICEAL BLEEDING - COMPARATIVE-STUDY BETWEEN SCHISTOSOMIASIS AND OTHERS

Background/Aims: This comparative study was conducted on 111 patients to evaluate the long term outcome of endoscopic variceal therapy in pa tients with portal hypertension, and particularly with schistosomiasis . Patients and Methods: There were 45 patients with chronic liver dise ase due to schistosomiasis, 31 with chronic hepatitis B and 21 with ch ronic NNb hepatitis. The remaining 14 had chronic liver disease of oth er etiologies. The mean, follow up period was 40 months. Results: Esop hageal varices were completely sclerosed in 32 out of 111 patients in 5 sessions (average) over a mean duration of 8 months. A comparison of patients with schistosomal and non-schistosomal liver diseases reveal ed that 68% of the schistosomal group patients were in child's A class ification, compared to 30% of the patients in, the non-schistosomal gr oup. There was no significant difference with respect to early rebleed ing and recurrence of oesophageal varices. The outcome of sclerotherap y in schistosomal group was better with respect to survival span. over a 5 year period of 78% while for the nonschistosomal group it was les s than 59%. Conclusions: This study has shown that injection sclerothe rapy for bleeding oesophageal varices gives best results when liver fu nction is usually well preserved and for chronic schistosomal liver di sease.