High digestive hemorrhage in Maciel Hospital

Prospective descriptive study of patients hospitalized with high digestive haemorrhage (HDH) in the Emergency Unit of Maciel Hospital between April 2000 and October 2001.The most frequent cause of HDH was the existence of peptic gastroduodenal lesions and this population is taken as the center for statistical analysis.Mortality was 12.1% for patients who had a peptic lesion as the cause for bleeding.Operative mortality was 43%.It should be highlighted that a considerable percentage of patients consumed non steroid anti inflamatories (NEAI) and alcohol.The presence of serius clinical and endoscopic criteria was common to the patients who presented renewed bleeding during evolution and which had to be subject to surgery.There follows a discussion as to the cause linked to the hight operative mortality.The authors question the relevance and aptness of early surgery.Finally basis for future studies are set for the purpose of finding answer to the questions arising herein