Endoscopic electrocoagulation of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

Endoscopic electrocoagulation was performed on 40 occasions for 38 patients with bleeding gastrointestinal lesions. Cessation of bleeding was achieved in 95%. Fifteen gastric ulcers, 14 duodenal ulcers, six Mallory-Weiss tears, one gastric varix, one hemorrhagic antral gastritis, and one esophageal ulcer were successfully electrocoagulated. Three duodenal and three gastric ulcers rebled. One duodenal ulcer and one gastric ulcer were successfully reelectrocoagulated. Failure to stop bleeding by electrocoagulation occurred in one Mallory-Weiss tear and one duodenal ulcer. There was no morbidity nor mortality attributed to endoscopic electrocoagulation. A retrospective cost analysis showed that the cost of hospitalization was less in patients treated by electrocoagulation. Patients so treated were hospitalized for a shorter duration.