The aim of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate whether a combination of the endoscopic hemostasis together with fibrin sealing and consecutive conservative therapy could reduce the frequency of recurrent bleedings, thus the number of operations without adversely influencing the prognosis of the disease. 134 patients admitted to the surgical and medical hospital of the University of Ulm between 1/1990 and 1/1992 with bleeding gastroduodenal ulcers took part in this study. All patients were treated endoscopically by hypertonic saline solution plus epinephrine and fibrin sealant. If initial endoscopic hemostasis was not achieved patients were operated within 6 h after admission. Patients with successful initial endoscopic hemostasis were treated conservatively and underwent control endoscopy after 24 and 48 h. In 23 patients the initial endoscopic hemostasis was not successful, they had to be operated immediately. In 111 patients endoscopic hemostasis was achieved, 20% of these patients had acute bleeding ulcers (Forrest Ia, b), 66% showed stigmata of fresh bleedings (Forrest-IIa bleeding). Primary endoscopic hemostasis was achieved in 85.6% of all patients treated, 14.4% of patients (n = 16) developed a recurrent bleeding during the observation period verified by gastroscopy. Half of these patients had an acute bleeding at the first gastroscopy (Forrest-Ia, Forrest-Ib bleeding). Recurrent bleeding became apparent between day 1 and 6 after admission to the hospital. Two patients refused surgical intervention, the other 14 were operated immediately.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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