[Peroral suction biopsy of the small intestine directed under endoscopic monitoring]

The technical difficulties of the procedures for jejunal biopsy are a waste of time. In the present paper we consider the suction biopsy of small bowel with the Olympus equipment, under endoscopic control. We studied 47 patients, mean age 46 years old (range 22-70) with clinical suggestion of malabsorption. In all patients, we tried to obtain 3 samples, in 31 (66%) we obtained the 3, in 8 (17%) we obtained 2 and in 2 (4.2%) no samples. With this procedure we had 121 samples; from these 114 (94.2%) were useful for diagnosis. We had no complications. The small bowel biopsy with Olympus system was fast, sure and effective.