Development of pleural effusion after sclerotherapy with absolute alcohol.
Pleural effusion developed in 6 of 31 patients undergoing esophageal variceal sclerotherapy using absolute alcohol. The effusions were small, appeared within 48 hours of sclerotherapy, and disappeared without treatment within 7 days in all six patients. Prevalence of chest pain was significantly greater when pleural effusions developed than when pleural effusions did not develop (83% of patients versus 19%, respectively, p < 0.05). The persistence of chest pain was also significantly greater when pleural effusions developed than when they did not develop (80% of patients versus 19%, respectively, p < 0.05). We conclude that pleural effusion occurs frequently after esophageal variceal sclerotherapy with alcohol and is commonly associated with chest pain.
Parikh
S S
SS
Department of Gastroenterology, B.Y.L. Nair Charitable Hospital, Bombay, India.
Amarapurkar
D N
DN
Dhawan
P S
PS
Kalro
R H
RH
Desai
H G
HG
D000328:Adult; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000628:therapy*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015911:Sclerotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000431:Ethanol