Endoscopic injection therapy for non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding at Auckland Hospital

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to audit the efficacy of endoscopic injection therapy for non-variceal upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding at Auckland Hospital.

Methods: The medical records of 183 patients who had undergone endoscopic injection of adrenaline for non-variceal upper GI bleeding at Auckland Hospital between November 1996 and May 1999 were reviewed.

Results: Primary haemostasis was achieved in 177 (96.7%) patients and six (3.3%) patients had early surgery due to failure of injection therapy. The overall rate of rebleeding was 18.6%. The rate of rebleeding according to the stigmata seen at the time of endoscopy was 36.8% for patients showing spurting vessel; 24% for active ooze; 18.2% for visible vessel; and 3.2% for adherent clot. Active spurting vessels seen on endoscopy were associated with higher risk of repeat injection (p <0.01) and death (p <0.001). Sixteen (9%) patients had repeat injection. Haemostasis was achieved in all, and no deaths or surgical interventions were observed in this subgroup.

Conclusions: Endoscopic injection therapy is an effective, simple and cheap first-line therapy for non-variceal upper GI bleeding. The repeat injection also appears to be an effective treatment for patients rebleeding after the initial injection therapy.