Bleeding peptic ulcer: experience with endoscopic therapy

Bleeding is a serious complication of peptic ulcer and mortality rate has remained at approximately 10% or more. Traditionally surgeons selected patients who were at significant risk of continued or re-bleeding and advocated early surgery. However, patients with bleeding peptic ulcers are generally elderly with coexisting medical illness and surgery results in significant morbidity and mortality. In the last decade, endoscopic haemostatic therapy has been effective in arresting the bleeding with surgical option considered only after endoscopic treatment has failed. We report the outcome of 196 patients who were endoscopically diagnosed to have bleeding from peptic ulcers. One hundred and thirty patients were to have active bleeding or recent bleed from the ulcer. Endoscopic adrenaline injection therapy was used in 53 patients who had active bleeding ulcers and another 77 patients with endoscopic evidence of recent bleed. The injection therapy was successfully in 127 (97.7%) patients. The treatment failed in three patients and they underwent urgent surgery. Re-bleeding occurred in 26 (20.5%) patients and endoscopic adrenaline therapy was repeated in these cases. Haemostatic was achieved in 19 patients, however 7 patients continued to bleed and required surgery. There were 3 deaths, principally from advanced age and coexisting medical illness. Endoscopic therapy for bleeding peptic ulcers is simply to apply, safe and effective. In cases of re-bleeding after initial endoscopic hemostasis, re-treatment is a preferable alternative to surgery. The role of surgery is limited to bleeding that is refractory or inaccessible to endoscopic control.