[Video capsule endoscopy is one more step towards improving the diagnosis of small intestinal diseases]

To estimate the value of video capsule endoscopy (VCE) in the diagnosis of small intestine (SI) diseases..

A total of 134 patients, including 72 (53.7%) women and 62 (46.3%) men whose mean age was 41.48±9.33 years. Group 1 included 73 patients who were examined using an algorithm for the diagnosis of SI diseases, 61 patients underwent VCE by the referrals handed in other healthcare facilities.

In the patients of Group 1, pathological SI changes were revealed by VCE by almost 4 times more frequently than in those of Group 2. VCE provides a possibility of establishing the sources of bleeding, Crohn's disease, and other inflammatory diseases, which are inaccessible to other diagnostic methods. SI arteriovenous malformations, polyps, and diverticula, parasitic infections, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-associated enteropathy may be causes of obscure SI bleeding and anemia. In celiac disease, VCE may estimate the extent of SI mucosal atrophy and reveal its disintegration as erosions and ulcers, which are inherent in its refractory form.

VCE is a highly informative method for examining the SI, but, in view of the specific features of its performance and the high cost of hardware, VCE is recommended to be performed in accordance with the proposed diagnostic algorithm.