Post-sclerotherapy bacterial peritonitis.

Endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy has been associated with a number of complications. Peritonitis after sclerotherapy has rarely been reported. In this retrospective review of 213 consecutive sclerotherapy procedures among 65 patients over a 3-yr period, we found that six cases of peritonitis occurred, for an incidence of approximately 3%. All patients developing post-sclerotherapy peritonitis had low ascitic fluid protein. However, this did not differ from patients who did not develop peritonitis. No patient on antibiotics at the time of sclerotherapy developed peritonitis. Peritonitis should be considered in the diagnosis of post-sclerotherapy fever. The role of prophylactic antibiotics to prevent this complication is uncertain.