Nosocomial septicemia in patients undergoing sclerotherapy for variceal hemorrhage.

The data of 19 consecutive unselected patients undergoing emergency sclerotherapy who were admitted to a single intensive care unit throughout the course of one year, were analyzed retrospectively for clinical and bacteriological signs of septicemia after the first sclerotherapy session. Ten had fever and/or chills, and in six of these patients microorganisms were cultured from arterial blood or central venous catheter tips. The data show that about one-third of patients with liver cirrhosis and acute variceal hemorrhage undergoing emergency sclerotherapy may develop septic disease.