Long-term outcome after injection sclerotherapy for esophageal variceal bleeding in children with portal hypertension / 中华儿科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Endoscopic sclerotherapy has emerged as an effective treatment for bleeding esophageal varices in adults and children but the long-term outcome is poorly defined in children. The present study aimed to study the long-term effect of endoscopic sclerotherapy in children with portal hypertension.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifteen patients (age 3 to 14 years) with esophageal variceal bleeding underwent endoscopic injection treatments with 1% Aethoxy-sclerol since 1996. All subjects continued to receive the therapy by repeated intra and extravariceal endoscopic sclerotherapy at intervals of 3 - 4 weeks until the varices disappeared, and received regular endoscopic follow-up.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Fifteen patients had totally 43 injections, and were followed up from 40 to 86 months (mean 66 months) by endoscopy. Two patients received 2 injections and 5 received 3 before eradication of varices. The mean time needed for varices eradication was 3 to 6 months. Recurrence of varices and bleeding was seen in 3 patients who had duodenal ulcer.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Endoscopic sclerotherapy is a safe and effective treatment for pediatric esophageal varices.</p>