Complications of endoscopic injection sclerotherapy: a review

Abstract

As endoscopic injection sclerotherapy becomes more widely applied to the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices, an increasing number of complications are being reported. Dysphagia, chest pain, and fever are usually transient and incosequential but may herald more serious life-threatening sequelae. Mortality commonly results from the major complications of recurrent bleeding, perforation, sepsis, and respiratory disorders. We carried out a review of sclerotherapy complications to understand their basis and to determine what measures can be taken to prevent or manage them.