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Background: Endoscopic hemostasis is the method of choice for the treatment of bleeding peptic ulcers. This retrospective study was carried out to evaluate its effectiveness in routine endoscopic practice., Methods: The records of all patients with gastrointestinal bleeding undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDS) at the Endoscopy Center of Ferrara in the last year were retrospectively evaluated. For each patient with peptic lesions, the following data were recorded: demographic characteristics, use of NSAIDs, co-morbidity, hemodynamic conditions, blood transfusions before EGDS, time between onset of symptoms and EGDS, endoscopic findings, method of endoscopic haemostasis carried out, Rockall score and outcome. If re-bleeding occurred, the data concerning the second therapeutic intervention were recorded as well., Results: Seventy-six males and 45 females (age 34-92 years) entered the study. In 22% of cases no co-morbidity was present. Active bleeding was observed in 38% of cases, features consistent with recent bleeding in 54% of cases, and no sign of bleeding in 6.6% of cases. Peptic ulcer was observed in 89% of cases. Hemostasis was carried out in 81 patients (76 had adrenalin infiltration, 2 had argon plasma coagulator [APC], and 3 had both treatments); 26 patients had re-bleeding. The probability of re-bleeding was related to female gender (p<0.05; OR: 3.74), time between onset of symptoms and EGDS >24 hours (p<0.01; OR: 8.67), and presence of non-ulcer peptic pathology (p<0.05; OR: 0.15). Seven re-bleeding patients underwent surgery, 19 had endoscopic treatment. In 11 of these patients second hemostasis was resolutive, 8 bled again., Conclusions: Endoscopic hemostasis of bleeding peptic lesions is effective also in routine clinical practice. Adrenalin infiltration is safe, easy to perform, cheap and repeatable, and in our opinion it should be considered the technique of first choice in endoscopic hemostasis.

355 patients suffering from dyspepsia with an endoscopic pathological picture were examined. Campylobacter pylori was sought histologically and by culture. Histological and cultural results were compared. There were no bacteria on the gastric mucosa of 46 patients who had no histopathological evidence of lesions. Cultural studies were performed in 40 cases on endoscopic instruments used during the examination, before and after standard sterilization. Campylobacter pylori was found on the gastric mucosa of 224 patients (63.09%); 91.93% with duodenal ulcer; 71.87% with gastric ulcer; 54.23% with erosive duodenitis; 56.71% with erosive gastritis and 54.81% with chronic gastropathy. The agreement between the two techniques was 75.39%, with a male prevalence (p = 0.05). Campylobacter pylori was present on the gastric mucosa of 10.86% of patients without histopathological evidence of lesions. Standard sterilization with alkyl-dimethyl-benzyl ammonium eliminated the campylobacter in 100% of cases.