[Distribution of ethanolamine oleate after injection in esophageal varices].

The purpose of this study is to know the systemic distribution of sclerosant injected into esophageal varices. Sclerotherapy for esophageal varices was performed for 14 times in 11 patients. The patients were divided into two groups according to the content of sclerosant. Seven patients received a total of 9 intravariceal injections (IVI) with 7 to 30ml of 5% ethanolamine oleate (EO) which contained meglumine diatrizoate (Angiographin) and four patients received a total of 5 IVI with 10 to 20ml of 4.5% EO which contained a 10% volume of 99mTcO-4 solution (EO-99mTc). Distribution of injected materials was observed by X-ray fluoroscopy in the former group and by a scintillation camera in the latter. In both methods most of the sclerosant disappeared from the injected site within five minutes leaving a trace in the varices. Then, the sclerosant was disseminated throughout the body via portal vein. When more than 20ml of sclerosant was injected, some flowed into the azygos vin through the periesophageal vin. After IVI the varices showed atrophic changes, though the sclerosant did not stay in the varices.