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The role of capsule endoscopy in acute gastrointestinal bleeding
1Department of Gastroenterology, Sheba Medical Center and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Insights
Capsule endoscopy aids in diagnosing obscure gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding when standard tests fail. This review examines its effectiveness for upper GI tract and small bowel bleeding sources.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Acute gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding causes significant hospitalizations (400,000 annually) with a 5-10% mortality rate.
- Approximately 5% of acute GI bleeding cases remain undiagnosed after standard esophagogastroduodenoscopy and ileocolonoscopy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role and effectiveness of capsule endoscopy in evaluating patients with acute GI bleeding.
- To assess capsule endoscopy's sensitivity and outcomes in detecting bleeding sources in the upper GI tract and small bowel.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent studies on capsule endoscopy in acute GI bleeding.
- Analysis of capsule endoscopy's diagnostic performance compared to standard procedures.
Main Results:
- Capsule endoscopy is a state-of-the-art tool for inspecting the entire small bowel.
- It demonstrates high sensitivity in detecting causes of obscure GI bleeding.
Conclusions:
- Capsule endoscopy is crucial for diagnosing obscure GI bleeding.
- It offers a comprehensive evaluation for bleeding originating from the upper GI tract or small bowel.
Abstract:
Acute gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a common cause of hospitalization, resulting in about 400,000 hospital admissions annually, with a mortality rate of 5-10%. It is estimated that 5% of acute GI bleedings are of obscure origin with a normal esophagogastroduodenoscopy and ileocolonoscopy. Capsule endoscopy is the state-of-the-art procedure for inspection of the entire small bowel with a high sensitivity for the detection of causes of bleeding. In recent years, many studies have addressed the sensitivity and outcome of capsule-endoscopy procedures in patients with acute GI bleeding. This review looks at the role of capsule endoscopy in the evaluation of patients with acute GI bleeding from either the upper GI tract or small bowel.
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