[State of the art of selective small bowel enema. Indications and results]

Medical records of 312 consecutive patients with enteroclysis were reviewed. Clinical indications, symptoms, roentgenologic results and clinical outcome were correlated. The most frequent indications were abdominal pain (22%), suspected inflammatory bowel disease (19%), evaluation of Crohn's disease (17%) and diarrhea (11%). Two-thirds of the studies (67.6%) gave normal results and 32.4%, abnormal. The most common abnormalities detected were pathology of the mucosa (40%), stenosis of the small bowel (34%) and fistulas (26%). A low incidence of pathology as found in cases of gastrointestinal bleeding of unknown origin (0%) and when a primary tumor was sought (13%). In 18% operation followed enteroclysis; results were found to be true-positive in 68% and false-negative in 28%. We conclude that in view of the implications (radiation dose and patient discomfort), the indications should be carefully considered before enteroclysis is performed.