[The cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and the value of emergency endoscopic hemostasis].

Introduction of endoscopy and endoscopic hemostasis had substantial impact on the treatment of diseases of stomach and duodenum complicated by bleeding. We compared two 4-years' periods analysing etiology of bleeding and influence of endoscopic haemostasis on outcome of patients with upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Number of patients in both groups were comparable. Ratio of bleeding related to gastric and duodenal ulcer didn't change substantially. Number of patients with haemorrhagic gastritis decreased somehow while those with bleeding oesophageal varies increased. Number of patients submitted to emergency operation for bleeding ulcer decreased significantly. Mortality was lower in the second period of time only in patients with haemorrhage requiring transfusion of 4-7 units of blood.