A total of 119 patients (January 1995-December 1996; 53 women, 66 men) with a medium age of 63.1 years were admitted to hospital with bleeding gastroduodenal ulcer. Emergency gastroduodenoscopy was performed immediately in all cases, sclerotherapy in 94 cases (78.9%). Control endoscopy was done routinely after 12-24 h; the recurrent bleeding rate amounted to 14.3%, mortality was 5%, and surgical intervention was necessary in 8.4% with a mortality of 40% (!).