Prospective controlled trial of injection sclerotherapy in patient with cirrhosis and recent variceal haemorrhage.

64 patients with cirrhosis and recent variceal haemorrhage were studied in a prospective randomised trial of injection sclerotherapy by means of a flexible oesophageal sheath. 12 (33%) of the 36 patients in the sclerotherapy group, suffered further bleeds from varices compared with 19 (68%) of the 28 patients receiving standard medical treatment. The risk of bleeding per patient-month of follow up decreased more than threefold with sclerotherapy and the number of patients rebleeding after 2, 6, and 12 months was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). 1-year survival without further bleeding improved significantly with sclerotherapy (46% compared with 6%, p < 0.02), although the difference in overall survival assessed by cumulative life-table analysis was not statistically significant. The main complication of the technique was the development of oesophageal ulcers in some patients.