One hundred seventy five patients with bleeding esophageal varices were treated with endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy from November 1986 to December 1989. Forty seven patients, whose varices were obliterated, were analysed. Forty seven patients underwent 253 sessions of endoscopic sclerotherapy. The mean number of sessions for obliteration was 5.4 (range; 2~9), and the mean volume of sclerosant used for obliteration was 103.9 (range; 36~187) ml. The mean volume of sclerosant per injection was 2.5 (range; 1~4.0) ml. The complications associated with endoscopic sclerotherapy were chest pain in 183 cases (72.8%), esophageal ulcer in 81 cases (32.0%), fever in 39 cases (15.4%), dysphagia in 19 cases (7.5%), esophageal stricture in 9 cases (3.6%) and pseudotumor of esophagus in 1 case (0. 4%). Twenty three (48.9%) of the forty seven patients had episodes of hemorrhage during the period of treatment, but in only four (8.5%) did variceal bleeding occur after the varices had been obliterated. Four patients (8.5%) died after obliteration of the varices. Causes of death were hepatic failure in three (6.4%) and advanced gastric cancer in one. None of these patients died because of variceal bleeding. This study indicates that endoscopic sclerotherapy is a safe and effective treatment for prevention of recurrent varicceal bleeding.