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Clinical utility of wireless capsule endoscopy: experience with 200 cases.
Eric L Tatar1, Eric H Shen, Adam L Palance
1Saint Peter's University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology
|January 6, 2006
Summary
Wireless capsule endoscopy effectively diagnoses small bowel lesions, proving most useful for gastrointestinal hemorrhage and anemia. This study evaluated 200 capsule endoscopy cases to assess its diagnostic yield.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Medical Devices
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Wireless capsule endoscopy (PillCam SB) is a novel tool for small bowel disease evaluation.
- Its clinical utility is growing, but large-scale patient studies are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the indications and diagnostic yield of 200 small bowel capsule endoscopies.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of capsule endoscopy in an academic medical center.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 200 wireless capsule endoscopies (September 2003 - January 2005).
- Analysis of indications, examination completeness, transit times, findings, and diagnostic yield.
- Categorization of diagnoses made and suspected for each indication.
Main Results:
- 200 cases reviewed; common indications were anemia (66%) and gastrointestinal hemorrhage (31%).
- Small bowel ulcerations (38%) and vascular ectasias (23%) were common findings; 87% of examinations were complete.
- A diagnosis was made in 23% and suspected in 31% of studies, with highest yields for hemorrhage (65%) and anemia (61%).
Conclusions:
- Wireless capsule endoscopy is a valuable tool for diagnosing occult small bowel lesions.
- It demonstrated the highest diagnostic effectiveness in patients with gastrointestinal hemorrhage and anemia.