Comparative effects of 5% ethanolamine oleate versus 5% sodium morrhuate for sclerotherapy of oesphageal varices

Forty‐five cirrhotic patients with oesophageal varices were randomized to receive endoscopic injection sclerotherapy with either 5% ethanolamine oleate (EO), or 5% sodium morrhuate (SM). In the EO group, there was a statistically significant higher rate of disappearance of red colour signs on the varices a week after the initial session of sclerotherapy than in the SM group (91.3%vs 45.5%, P < 0.05). A jet‐like bleeding from injection sites at the second session of sclerotherapy occurred in three patients in the SM group and they experienced blurred vision. There was no such occurrence in the EO group. Oesophageal bleeding requiring blood transfusion during the course of repeated sclerotherapy occurred only in the SM group (five patients): bleeding was from a partly thrombosed varix and in four was from oesophageal ulcers. We found that EO administered intravariceally is more efficacious than SM for sclerotherapy of oesophageal varices.