Continuous low dose peripheral vein pitressin infusion in the control of variceal bleeding.

Continuous low dose peripheral vein pitressin has been shown to be effective in controlling variceal bleeding in seven episodes of bleeding in six patients. No significant side-effects were seen. The expense, delay and hazard associated with superior mesenteric artery catheterization for selective arterial pitressin infusion were avoided. If these results can be reproduced, low dose peripheral vein pitressin infusion may prove to be a valuable addition to the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices.