[Bleeding ulcer disease. Its course before and after endoscopic sclerotherapy].

The article presents a retrospective assessment of the outcome of bleeding gastrointestinal ulcer disease before and after the advent of endoscopic therapy. In 1985, 97 patients were urgently admitted to our county hospital with ventricular or duodenal ulcers. In 1992, 92 such patients were admitted. No patients received endoscopic therapy in 1985, while 15 patients received endoscopic injections with epinephrine combined with a sclerosant in 1992. 15 patients underwent urgent surgery in 1985 compared with seven patients in 1992. We conclude that endoscopic therapy for bleeding peptic ulceration has decreased the need for urgent surgery by 50%.