Injection sclerotherapy for esophageal varices.

Thirty-five consecutive patients with bleeding esophageal varices were treated by repeated endoscopic injection sclerotherapy. During each session the varices were injected with 14 +/- 4.2 ml (mean +/- SD) of 5% ethanolamine oleate submucosally or intravariceally. The varices were obliterated in 31 (89%) patients. On average 3.3 +/- 2.4 sclerotherapy sessions were required for eradication of the varices. Mild fever was noticed almost in every patient after sclerotherapy. Mediastinitis was a complication in one (2.8%) patient. Esophageal stricture ensued in two (5.7%) patients which did not require treatment. The cumulative survival rates at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years were 83%; 65%; 52%; 52% and 47% respectively. The corresponding 95% confidence intervals were (0.7, 0.96); (0.48, 0.8); (0.34, 0.7); (0.3, 0.74) and (0.22, 0.7). Sclerotherapy is an effective and safe method to treat bleeding esophageal varices.