ISSN:
1432-2218
Keywords:
Esophageal varices
;
Injection sclerotherapy
;
Bacteremia
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Elective sclerotherapy for esophageal varices produces bacteremia in 4% to 53% of patients. The clinical importance of this phenomenon is uncertain. This study was undertaken to re-assess the incidence and clinical relevance of post-sclerotherapy bacteremia. Blood cultures were taken prior to and at 5 min and 4 h after endoscopy in 50 patients for whom sclerotherapy was planned. In the 41 patients in whom varices were injected, positive cultures were obtained 5 min after sclerotherapy in only 4 patients (10%) and all but 1 patient had other possible causes of bacteremia. After 4 h, all blood cultures were sterile. No infective complications were identified. Bacteremia appears to be an infrequent and transient event after elective sclerotherapy. Only patients with prosthetic heart valves or endocardial abnormalities require antibiotic prophylaxis.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00591406
Permalink