Review article
The Role of Video Capsule Enteroscopy in Obscure Haemorrhage
Roland Pulanić
; KBC Zagreb
Abstract
Obscure gastrointestinal (GI) haemorrhages are those that cannot be detected by routine endoscopic or radiologic examination. Obscure haemorrhages account for 5% of all GI haemorrhages. In 75% of cases, the haemorrhage originates in the small intestine, and in 25% in upper or lower GI tract passing unnoticed during upper or lower GI endoscopy. Video capsule enteroscopy (VCE) and balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) have revolutionized small intestine examination by improving disease diagnosis and classification, therapeutic decisions and evaluation of disease outcome. VCE was first accepted as an important initial diagnostic procedure for non-invasive detection of obscure GI haemorrhages. The accuracy of obscure haemorrhage VCE detection ranges from 50% to 81%. A combined approach to obscure haemorrhages by VCE followed by BAE with endoscopic haemostasis, if indicated, is a valuable diagnostic and therapeutic procedure replacing more complex and risk methods. Complementary methods include radiology of the small intestine and its vascularisation or intraoperative enteroscopy.
Keywords
obscure haemorrhage; video capsule; balloon-assisted enteroscopy
Hrčak ID:
102966
URI
Publication date:
18.4.2013.
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