The development of hepatic encephalopathy and coma hepaticum in patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding and hepatic cirrhosis is a serious problem. Since 1983 we perform a whole gut irrigation with mannite for cleansing the bowel via naso-gastric tube. The aim of this therapy is to reduce the severity of hepatic encephalopathy. The first 20 patients with the new therapeutic concept were compared with the last 20 patients with the prevailing therapy. We studied the effect of the new therapeutic concept as to reduction of hepatic encephalopathy and possible electrolyte loss. None of the patients in the mannite group had hepatic encephalopathy stage III or IV, whereas 75% of the patients without mannite showed clinical signs of stage III or IV. Serum potassium, sodium and chloride were not significantly different between both groups. In the group with mannite application no change in serum creatinine was observed, whereas in the other group a minute increase of serum creatinine was seen.