Abstract

The injection of a mixture of ethanolamine oleate and thrombin as an effective treatment for bleeding duodenal ulcer was evaluated in 38 patients entered in a randomised prospective controlled trial. After a one week observation period, 1/19 (5.3%) treated patients and 11/19 (57.9%) control patients had suffered further bleeding (p less than 0.005; CI = 22%-74%). Emergency surgery was required in 1/19 in the treated group compared with 8/19 in the untreated group (CI = 13%-61%; p less than 0.05). The mean (SD) transfusion requirement in the treated group was 1.9 (0.5) U blood compared with 5.3 (0.7) U in the control group. No significant differences related to mortality were detected. In conclusion, local injection therapy is an effective means of haemostasis in patients with bleeding duodenal ulcer who are at risk of further bleeding.