advantages of using an injection pistol during sclerotherapy of esophageal varices

1
2. Cohen FL, Koerner RS, Taub SJ. Solitary brain abscess follow- ing endoscopic injection sclerosis of esophageal varices. Gas- trointest Endosc 1985;31:331-3. 3. Monroe P, Morrow CF, Millen JE, et a1. Acute respiratory failure after sodium morrhuate esophageal sclerotherapy. Gas- troenterology 1983;85:693-9. 4. Seidman E, Weber AM, Morin CL, et a1. Spinal cord paralysis following sclerotherapy for esophageal varices. Hepatology 1984;4:950-4. 5. Barsoum MS, Mooro MA, Bolous FI, et a1. The complications of injection sclerotherapy of bleeding esophageal varices. Br J Surg 1982;69:79-81. 6. Sukigara M, Omoto R, Miyamae T. Systemic dissemination of ethanolamine oleate after injection sclerotherapy for esophageal varices. Arch Surg 1985;120:833-6. 7. Snell AM. The effects of chronic disease of the liver on the composition and physicochemical properties of blood: changes in proteins; reduction in oxygen saturation of the arterial blood. Ann Intern Med 1935;9:690. 8. Calabresi P, Abelmann WHo Porto-caval and porto-pulmonary anastomosis in Laennec's cirrhosis and in heart failure. J Clin Invest 1957;36:1257-65. Advantages of using an injection pistol during sclerotherapy of esophageal varices To the Editor: Although endoscopic sclerotherapy is being increasingly employed in the management of bleeding esophageal varices, the technique is still evolving. 1 Although the actual tech- nique may vary, the sclerosing agent has to be injected through a long cannula (200 cm) that has a small caliber needle (23-25 gauge) attached to its distal end. Injection of the sclerosing agent through this needle-catheter assembly requires significantly high pressure. The situation is com- parable to contrast injection during ERCP. Three to 10 times atmospheric pressure may be required to inject con- trast through the ERCP catheter. 2 Although the sclerosant solution is less viscous than contrast material, higher pres- sures are needed to force it through the injector because of the smaller caliber of the needle and the relatively rapid speed with which a given volume is to be injected. In a recent article Zimmon 2 described the use of an "injection pistol" for injecting contrast material during ERCP to overcome problems related to injection of contrast during the procedure. I would like to bring to the attention of your readers another important use of this pistol injector. Although it is named an ERCP hand injector pistol by its manufacturer 3 (Wilson-Cook), I have found it very useful for injecting controlled volumes of sclerosing agents during sclerotherapy of esophageal varices. The details of the injec- tion pistol, its assembly, and preparation for use are well described by Zimmon. 2 For sclerotherapy the unit volume delivered with each trigger pull is set at 0.6 cc. The desired volume can be injected in multiples of 0.6 (0.6 to 3.0 cc) with relative ease and rapidity. The click audible with each trigger pull gives the endoscopists and his GI assistant an easy account of the volume injected. Of course, the injection is effortless, requiring only a pull of the trigger. In the King Fahd Hospital endoscopy unit at Medina al Munawara, the injector pistol is now routinely used for all cases of sclerotherapy. In the past year sclerotherapy was performed on 34 patients. Free-hand injection technique 153 was used, employing a Macron-Haber sclerotherapy needle (Wilson-Cook). Intravariceal injection were performed with 0.6 to 2.4 cc of 5% etholamine oleate at each injection site. During this period no complications directly attributable to the injection pistol were noted. Repeated injections during sclerotherapy consume consid- erable physical strength. Problems may arise as a result of fatigue of the endoscopy assistant. Toward the end of the procedure the individual injection time may be unduely prolonged. The increased puncture time exposes the patient to a higher risk of esophageal laceration resulting from any sudden or unexpected movement. There is an increased risk of inadvertent disengagement of the syringe from the injec- tor and spraying of the sclerosing agent onto the attending bedside personnel. This may cause serious injury to the cornea, the so-called "sclerotherapist's eye."4 At our unit the syringe disengaged from the injector on three different occasions prior to the use of injection pistol. Fortunately, no serious injury occurred, but this prompted us to look for an alternate method. Since the use of the injection pistol this problem has not arisen. Fazallmtiaz Khawaja, FACP, FACG Gastroenterology Division King Fahd Hospital Medina al Munawara. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia REFERENCES 1. Sivak MV. Sclerotherapy of esophageal varices. In: Silvis SE, ed. Therapeutic gastrointestinal endoscopy, 1st ed. New York: Igaku-Shoin,1985:31-66. 2. Zimmon DS. Injection pistol for volume control of contrast injection during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatogra- phy. Gastrointest Endosc 1987;33:238-40. 3. Wilson-Cook introduces ERCP hand injector. Endoscopy Rev 1986;3:36. 4. Herlihy KJ, Bozymski EM. Sclerotherapist's eye. Gastrointest Endosc 1982;28:42-3. Giant esophageal ulcers in AIDS-related complex To the Editor: The esophagus of the immunocompromised host is the potential target of a variety of pathogens. Candida albicans and herpes simplex virus are the most frequently found organisms. 1 -4 Other herpesvirus, particularly cytomegalovi- rus (CMV), have been associated with ulcerations in other parts of the gastrointestinal tract but only rarely cause esophageal disease. This report describes a patient with AIDS-related complex (ARC)5 in whom a giant esophageal ulcer was seen. A 36-year-old black male was admitted with hematemesis for 1 day and hiccups for 30 days' duration. He had a long history of intravenous drug abuse and alcoholism. A month prior to admission a diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis was made and the patient was started on antituberculosis medi- cation (INH, rifampin, ethambutol). On admission he ap- peared cachectic, was febrile, and had persistent hiccups. There was generalized lymphadenopathy. The abdomen was soft with an enlarged firm liver. Initial laboratory data revealed a hemoglobin level of 9.39 gjdl, hematocrit 27%, and WBC 2,800. T-cell studies revealed a significant reversal GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY

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2. Cohen FL, Koerner RS, Taub SJ. Solitary brain abscess follow­ing endoscopic injection sclerosis of esophageal varices. Gas­trointest Endosc 1985;31:331-3.

3. Monroe P, Morrow CF, Millen JE, et a1. Acute respiratoryfailure after sodium morrhuate esophageal sclerotherapy. Gas­troenterology 1983;85:693-9.

4. Seidman E, Weber AM, Morin CL, et a1. Spinal cord paralysisfollowing sclerotherapy for esophageal varices. Hepatology1984;4:950-4.

5. Barsoum MS, Mooro MA, Bolous FI, et a1. The complicationsof injection sclerotherapy of bleeding esophageal varices. Br JSurg 1982;69:79-81.

6. Sukigara M, Omoto R, Miyamae T. Systemic dissemination ofethanolamine oleate after injection sclerotherapy for esophagealvarices. Arch Surg 1985;120:833-6.

7. Snell AM. The effects of chronic disease of the liver on thecomposition and physicochemical properties of blood: changesin proteins; reduction in oxygen saturation of the arterial blood.Ann Intern Med 1935;9:690.

8. Calabresi P, Abelmann WHo Porto-caval and porto-pulmonaryanastomosis in Laennec's cirrhosis and in heart failure. J ClinInvest 1957;36:1257-65.

Advantages of using an injection pistolduring sclerotherapy of esophagealvarices

To the Editor:

Although endoscopic sclerotherapy is being increasinglyemployed in the management of bleeding esophageal varices,the technique is still evolving.1 Although the actual tech­nique may vary, the sclerosing agent has to be injectedthrough a long cannula (200 cm) that has a small caliberneedle (23-25 gauge) attached to its distal end. Injection ofthe sclerosing agent through this needle-catheter assemblyrequires significantly high pressure. The situation is com­parable to contrast injection during ERCP. Three to 10times atmospheric pressure may be required to inject con­trast through the ERCP catheter.2 Although the sclerosantsolution is less viscous than contrast material, higher pres­sures are needed to force it through the injector because ofthe smaller caliber of the needle and the relatively rapidspeed with which a given volume is to be injected.

In a recent article Zimmon2 described the use of an"injection pistol" for injecting contrast material duringERCP to overcome problems related to injection of contrastduring the procedure. I would like to bring to the attentionof your readers another important use of this pistol injector.Although it is named an ERCP hand injector pistol by itsmanufacturer3 (Wilson-Cook), I have found it very usefulfor injecting controlled volumes of sclerosing agents duringsclerotherapy of esophageal varices. The details of the injec­tion pistol, its assembly, and preparation for use are welldescribed by Zimmon.2 For sclerotherapy the unit volumedelivered with each trigger pull is set at 0.6 cc.

The desired volume can be injected in multiples of 0.6(0.6 to 3.0 cc) with relative ease and rapidity. The clickaudible with each trigger pull gives the endoscopists and hisGI assistant an easy account of the volume injected. Ofcourse, the injection is effortless, requiring only a pull of thetrigger. In the King Fahd Hospital endoscopy unit at Medinaal Munawara, the injector pistol is now routinely used forall cases of sclerotherapy. In the past year sclerotherapy wasperformed on 34 patients. Free-hand injection technique

153

was used, employing a Macron-Haber sclerotherapy needle(Wilson-Cook). Intravariceal injection were performed with0.6 to 2.4 cc of 5% etholamine oleate at each injection site.During this period no complications directly attributable tothe injection pistol were noted.

Repeated injections during sclerotherapy consume consid­erable physical strength. Problems may arise as a result offatigue of the endoscopy assistant. Toward the end of theprocedure the individual injection time may be unduelyprolonged. The increased puncture time exposes the patientto a higher risk of esophageal laceration resulting from anysudden or unexpected movement. There is an increased riskof inadvertent disengagement of the syringe from the injec­tor and spraying of the sclerosing agent onto the attendingbedside personnel. This may cause serious injury to thecornea, the so-called "sclerotherapist's eye."4

At our unit the syringe disengaged from the injector onthree different occasions prior to the use of injection pistol.Fortunately, no serious injury occurred, but this promptedus to look for an alternate method. Since the use of theinjection pistol this problem has not arisen.

Fazallmtiaz Khawaja, FACP, FACGGastroenterology Division

King Fahd HospitalMedina al Munawara. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

REFERENCES1. Sivak MV. Sclerotherapy of esophageal varices. In: Silvis SE,

ed. Therapeutic gastrointestinal endoscopy, 1st ed. New York:Igaku-Shoin,1985:31-66.

2. Zimmon DS. Injection pistol for volume control of contrastinjection during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatogra­phy. Gastrointest Endosc 1987;33:238-40.

3. Wilson-Cook introduces ERCP hand injector. Endoscopy Rev1986;3:36.

4. Herlihy KJ, Bozymski EM. Sclerotherapist's eye. GastrointestEndosc 1982;28:42-3.

Giant esophageal ulcers in AIDS-relatedcomplex

To the Editor:

The esophagus of the immunocompromised host is thepotential target of a variety of pathogens. Candida albicansand herpes simplex virus are the most frequently foundorganisms.1

-4 Other herpesvirus, particularly cytomegalovi­rus (CMV), have been associated with ulcerations in otherparts of the gastrointestinal tract but only rarely causeesophageal disease. This report describes a patient withAIDS-related complex (ARC)5 in whom a giant esophagealulcer was seen.

A 36-year-old black male was admitted with hematemesisfor 1 day and hiccups for 30 days' duration. He had a longhistory of intravenous drug abuse and alcoholism. A monthprior to admission a diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis wasmade and the patient was started on antituberculosis medi­cation (INH, rifampin, ethambutol). On admission he ap­peared cachectic, was febrile, and had persistent hiccups.There was generalized lymphadenopathy. The abdomen wassoft with an enlarged firm liver. Initial laboratory datarevealed a hemoglobin level of 9.39 gjdl, hematocrit 27%,and WBC 2,800. T-cell studies revealed a significant reversal

GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY