[Comparative efficacy of endoscopic sclerosis of esophageal varices by intravariceal injection of polidocanol and perivariceal injection of quinine-urea].

Concerned by mortality due to recurrent bleeding and associated risk factors in cirrhotic patients, we attempted to compare the efficiency of perivascular sclerotherapy using quinine urea with that of intravascular polidocanol and to determine the predictive factors of clinical outcome. Of 74 patients admitted for bleeding esophageal varices, 31 were treated with perivascular sclerotherapy (group I), and 43 with intravascular sclerotherapy (group II). Three months later, only 63 p. 100 of patients in group I had not rebled, compared to 90 p. 100 of patients in group II (p less than 0.001). After 6 months, no significative difference was found between the two groups. The one year survival rate was 44 p. 100 in group I and 79 p. 100 in group II (p less than 0.002). Encephalopathy and ascites were found to be predictive factors of mortality, whereas neither clinical or biologic factors were found to be predictive for recurrent bleeding. These results suggest that in esophageal sclerotherapy, the intravascular route with polidocanol provides earlier results and a better one year survival rate, compared with the perivascular route. However, survival rates depend on encephalopathy and ascites criteria.