Bleeding peptic ulcers represent about 60% of the sources of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage
found at emergency endoscopy. 1 Most will not be actively bleeding at the time of the examination. 1
About half will have a clean base and uncomplicated presentation 2 requiring no further treatment. 1
For the 10% that are actively bleeding (ie, spurting or oozing), as well as those that look likely to
bleed again (ie, have an adherent clot or visible vessel), an endoscopic injection of an agent such as
adrenaline, alcohol, or polidocanol can be given, or the vessel heat treated with a thermal heater
probe or by bipolar electrocoagulation.
