Enteroclysis in the diagnosis of chronic unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding

In a six-year period (1977-83), lesions were identified by enteroclysis in 26 patients with melena or recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding undiagnosed by other modalities. These included nine Meckel's diverticula, three metastatic lesions, three primary carcinomas, one lipoma, four leiomyomas, five surgically created blind pouches, one carcinoid, and one idiopathic dilatation of the ileum. Our experience suggests that, when the standard diagnostic procedures used to investigate chronic gastrointestinal blood loss are unrevealing, enteroclysis should be performed. The method is fast, accurate, is done in one sitting, and can be productive in the diagnostically difficult patient.