Injection sclerotherapy foroesophageal varices: aprospective randomised trial ofdifferent treatment schedules

SUMMARY A prospective randomised study to compare the efficacy and complications ofinjection sclerotherapy carried out at intervals of one week and three weeks up to the timeobliteration ofvarices was achieved, was undertaken in 55 patients (48 cirrhosis, six portal veinthrombosis, one nodularregenerative hyperplasia). Thenumberof courses ofinjection requiredforobliteration ofthevarices was not different in the two groups anddespite a shortertimescalefor obliteration in the weekly treated patients the frequency with which further episodes ofbleeding occurred before that was not significantly less. Mucosal ulceration during the periodrequired for obliteration was observed at endoscopy more frequently in the weekly treatedpatients but was not associated with a greater frequency ofpostinjection pain, dysphagia or oflong term stricture formation. In a controlled clinical trial of injection sclero- therapy reported by us' an interval of three weekswas allowed between each course of injection.