IS ENDOSCOPIC INJECTION HEMOSTASIS OF BLEEDING GASTROINTESTINAL ULCERS OBSOLETE IN 1995

Bleeding non-neoplastic lesions of the upper gastrointestinal tract, n ot due to portal hypertension, are a frequent cause of emergency admis sion. In the present paper we report our retrospective experience in h emostatic injection treatment of these lesions. From May 1990 to May 1 994, 164 patients were admitted to our institution for a bleeding gast rointestinal lesion, In 124 cases an ulcer classified according Forres t's criteria was detected. Four patients underwent immediate surgery. The second group of 85 patients (FIIa/FIIb/FIII) were treated conserva tively. The third group of 34 patients (FIa/FIb/FIIa) underwent perile sional injection of adrenaline 1:10,000 and polidocanol 1% saline solu tion during endoscopic examination; 29% (25 pts) of the second group r e-bled during the first 72 h vs 8.8% (3 pts) of the third group, The p ostoperative morbidity in the rebleeding patients was higher in the se cond group: 38.4% vs 0%. The importance of immediate, inexpensive, and simple hemostatic treatment extended to Forrest IIa lesions is emphas ized.