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Digestive hemorrhages of obscure origin
A Tricarico1, G Cione, M Sozio
1Emergency Department, Laparoscopic Surgery, A.O.R.N. Cardarelli, Via A. Cardarelli, 80100 Naples, Italy. antric@katamail.com
Surgical Endoscopy
|April 25, 2002
Summary
Video-laparoscopy offers a definitive diagnosis and treatment for obscure digestive bleeding, avoiding exploratory laparotomies. This minimally invasive technique allows thorough small bowel examination and lesion management.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Minimally Invasive Surgery
Background:
- Diagnostic laparotomy is sometimes required for obscure digestive bleeding when other methods fail.
- Video-laparoscopy offers a potential solution for diagnosis and simultaneous surgical treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of video-laparoscopy in diagnosing and treating obscure digestive hemorrhages.
- To assess the efficacy of laparoscopic techniques in managing various small bowel pathologies causing bleeding.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of 16 patients with obscure digestive hemorrhages treated with video-laparoscopy.
- Patient conditions included Meckel's diverticulum, gastric and small bowel leiomyomas, jejunum leiomyosarcoma, small bowel melanoma, and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.
Main Results:
- Laparoscopic approach successfully identified the source of bleeding in all patients.
- Treatment included intraperitoneal resection of a diverticulum and minilaparatomy for resection of affected bowel loops.
Conclusions:
- Video-laparoscopy is highly effective in diagnosing obscure digestive bleeding, preventing unnecessary exploratory laparotomies.
- The technique allows comprehensive small bowel exploration and direct visualization of lesions, facilitating accurate diagnosis and treatment.