TISSUE SOLIDIFICATION IN COPING WITH DIGESTIVE TRACT BLEEDING

-HEMOSTATIC EFFECT OF LOCAL INJECTION OF 99.5% ETHANOL-

Abstract

Tatsuka et al, reported a local injection of 95% ethanol as a new endoscopical treat-ment of gastric protuberant lesions. In performing this method, the present authors dis-covered that 99.5% ethanol injection has an excellent hemostatic effect. The authors in-jected 99.5% ethanol into the cut-end of the stalk of 7 massive hemorrhaged cases encounter-ed while performing double snare polypectomy. In all cases, the hemorrhage stopped within 5 to 15 minutes. In 9 patients with hemorrhagic gastric or duodenal ulcer who were judged at emergency endoscopical examination as needing some hemostatic treatment, an injection of 99.5% ethanol into the bleeding site achieved a satisfactory hemostasis in all of them. Ethanol injection into the surrounding tissue close to the bleeding vessels, a few inject-ing sites selected usually at 1 to 2mm away from the bleeding vessels, 0.1 to 0.2 ml at a time, could instantly suppress even the pulsatile bleeding with no hazards. If this method is used carefully with enough endoscopic skill, this may become the first choice for the gastro-intestinal hemorrhage except varices.