ABSTRACT
Introduction: The complications of injection sclerotherapy can be divided broadly into two categories, those occurring at the site of injection and those resulting from systemic dissemination of the sclerosant through the paraesophageal and azygos veins; this has been shown radiologically. Endoscopic variceal ligation [EVL] was developed as an alternative endoscopic method of treating esophageal varices with the anticipation that EVL would be as effective as EIS, but with fewer complications. We aimed in this study to assess the safety of both procedures for the lung
Patients and methods: We studied 28 patients with chronic liver disease and portal hypertension, 14 patients underwent injection sclerotherapy of ethanolamine oleate and the other 14 underwent band ligation. All patients underwent spirometery and ABG pre, 2 days and 3 weeks from the procedures
Results: Two days after the procedures the PEF and FEF 50 decreased highly significantly in EST patients when compared to EBL patients [P value less than 0.001], and FEV1, FVC, FEF25, FEF75, Pao2 and o2 sat decreased significantly in the same group by a P value of less than 0.05. After 3 weeks from the procedures the VCin, VCex, FEV1, FVC and FEF25 decreased highly significantly in the EST group [P value was less than 0.001], and the FEF 50, PEF, PACO2, PAO2 and O2 SAT decreased significantly in the same group. And there was a significant decrease of flow, FEV1 and FVC 2 days after the EST group with a highly significant decrease of PAO2 and O2SAT when compared to the same patients before the EST and we found a highly significant decrease of VC, FEV1, FVC, PAO2 and O2 SAT pre and 3 weeks from EST
Conclusions: From this study we conclude that the band ligation is safe for the lung and may be an option to eradicate esophageal varices in chronic lung disease patients