Perivenous sclerotherapy of oesophageal varices

Sclerotherapy of oesophageal varices is aimed to arrest bleeding from oesophageal varices. One hundred and seven endoscopic sclerotherapy procedures were performed on forty four patients over a period of twenty nine months. A solution of 1% aethoxysclerol, 25% dextrose or botropase diluted in 25% dextrose were used. Perivenous injection is preferred to intravenous injection. Control of bleeding was achieved in thirty five of the thirty-nine patients who had bleeding oesophageal varices. In these thirty-five patients bleeding did not recur during the period of follow-up varying from two to twenty-nine months. Five patients with oesophageal varices underwent sclerotherapy as a prophylactic measure. The procedure has low mortality and morbidity. It is recommended as the procedure of choice for an acute bleeding episode.