The effect of perendoscopic sclerosing agent injection in Forrest's II ulcers -- a pilot study from Turkey.

Background: We aimed to clarify the outcome of perendoscopic prophylactic injection of sclerosing agent in Forrest's II ulcers.

Material/methods: Patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding in last 6 hours were performed emergency endoscopy and were enrolled. The patients in group-1 were performed prophylactic injection therapy with 1% aethoxysclerol and then given medical treatment with intravenous 40 mg omeprazole twice a day and somatostatin infusion at the dose of 6 mg/day during 3 days. Group-2 patients were only given medical treatment with same agents and at same doses without having any perendoscopic therapy.

Results: There were 32 patients in group-1 and 20 in group-2. In emergency endoscopy, 20 (62.5%) patients had IIa ulcers and 12 (37.5%) patients had IIb ulcers in group-1. These patients underwent prophylactic perendoscopic hemostasis by 1% aethoxysclerol in addition to medical treatment. Early rebleeding occurred in 9 (28.1%) patients of group-1 and 3 (15%) in group-2 (p<0.001). At the endoscopic control after 48 hours 13 (40.6%) patients in the group-1 and 15 (75%) patients in group-2 showed improved local ulcer stigmata (p<0.001). The numbers of blood units transfused were lower in the group-2 (p=0.002). The hospital stay was longer in group-1 (p=0.01). In the group-1, more endoscopic intervention was needed. Any death and the need for surgical intervention did not occurred in any groups.

Conclusions: According to our results; the indication of perendoscopic prophylactic injection of sclerosing agent in non-bleeding ulcers with high risk of rebleeding must be reviewed by large population based, prospective, randomized trials.