Enteroscopy for the initial evaluation of iron deficiency

Three cases of jejunal tumors detected by standard upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: A case series

BACKGROUND

In patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, re-examination with standard upper endoscopes by experienced physicians will identify culprit lesions in a substantial proportion of patients. A common practice is to insert an adult-sized forward-viewing endoscope into the second part of the duodenum. When the endoscope tip enters after the papilla, which is a marker for the descending part of the duodenum, it is difficult to endoscopically judge how far the duodenum has been traversed beyond the second part.

CASE SUMMARY

We experienced three cases of proximal jejunal masses that were diagnosed by standard upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and confirmed with surgery. The patients visited the hospital with a history of melena; during the initial upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and colonoscopy, the bleeding site was not confirmed. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding was suspected; thus, according to guidelines, upper endoscopy was performed again. A hemorrhagic mass was discovered in the small intestine. The lesion of the first patient was thought to be located in the duodenum when considering the general insertion depth of a typical upper gastrointestinal endoscope; however, during surgery, it was confirmed that it was in the jejunum. After the first case, lesions in the second and third patients were detected at the jejunum by inserting the standard upper endoscope as deep as possible.

CONCLUSION

The deep insertion of standard endoscopes is useful for the diagnosis of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.

Small Bowel Gastrointestinal Bleeding Diagnosis and Management-A Narrative Review

Background: Small bowel bleeding accounts for 5-10% of all gastrointestinal bleeding. Despite advances in imaging, endoscopy and minimally invasive therapeutic techniques, its diagnosis and treatment remains a challenge and a standardized algorithm for approaching suspected small bowel bleeding remains elusive. Furthermore, the choice of investigation is subject to timing of presentation and accessibility to investigations. The aim of this study was to construct a narrative review of recent literature surrounding the diagnosis and management of small bowel bleeding. Methods: A literature review was conducted examining the database pubmed with the following key words and Boolean operators: occult GI bleed OR mesenteric bleed OR gastrointestinal hemorrhage OR GI hemorrhage AND management. Articles were selected and reviewed based on relevance to the research topic. Where necessary, the full text was sought to further assess relevance. Results: In overt GI bleeding, CT angiography and red cell scintigraphy are both feasible and reliable diagnostic imaging modalities if standard endoscopy is negative. Red cell scintigraphy may be advantageous through detection of lower bleeding rates but it is subject to availability. Overt bleeding and a positive CT angiogram or red cell scan improves the diagnostic yield of formal angiography ± embolization. Video capsule endoscopy or double balloon endoscopy can be considered in occult GI bleeding following normal upper and lower endoscopy. Conclusions: Small bowel bleeding remains a rare but significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Technological advances in diagnostics have aided evaluation but have not broadened the range of therapeutic interventions.

Evaluation of iron deficiency anaemia for gastrointestinal causes in patients without GI symptoms in high prevalent GI malignancy zones

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

Gastric cancer is highly prevalent in Kashmir, as are lower gastrointestinal (LGI) malignancies. Colonic cancer, gastric cancer, and coeliac disease are the most important gastrointestinal (GI) causes of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) worldwide. Approximately 9% of patients with IDA present with a suspicious lesion in the GI tract upon examination. However, the absence of GI symptoms and a possible lesion accounting for blood loss in IDA have not been studied in this zone with a high prevalence of GI malignancy. We aimed to examine IDA patients without GI symptoms to determine the most plausible cause of their blood loss.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 100 patients with IDA and 250 control subjects without IDA and referred for gastrointestinal endoscopy were enrolled in a cross-sectional, comparative study. Patients presenting with a significant lesion proportionate to their anaemia in the upper GI tract were not examined further, if no further strong indications were present.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine patients (29%) were found to have malignancy: 13 with gastric cancer and 16 with colonic malignancies. Other apparent causes of GI blood loss included peptic ulcer disease in 10 (10%) patients, haemorrhoids in 22 (25%), polyps in eight (three in the upper GI tract and five in the LGI tract), gastric erosions in eight (8%), and angiodysplasia, diverticulitis, and trichuriasis in two (2%) each.

CONCLUSION

In light of the high incidence of GI malignancies in this patient group, a low threshold for GI screening as well as mass screening for IDA is needed.

ACG Clinical Guideline: Diagnosis and Management of Small Bowel Bleeding

Bleeding from the small intestine remains a relatively uncommon event, accounting for ~5-10% of all patients presenting with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Given advances in small bowel imaging with video capsule endoscopy (VCE), deep enteroscopy, and radiographic imaging, the cause of bleeding in the small bowel can now be identified in most patients. The term small bowel bleeding is therefore proposed as a replacement for the previous classification of obscure GI bleeding (OGIB). We recommend that the term OGIB should be reserved for patients in whom a source of bleeding cannot be identified anywhere in the GI tract. A source of small bowel bleeding should be considered in patients with GI bleeding after performance of a normal upper and lower endoscopic examination. Second-look examinations using upper endoscopy, push enteroscopy, and/or colonoscopy can be performed if indicated before small bowel evaluation. VCE should be considered a first-line procedure for small bowel investigation. Any method of deep enteroscopy can be used when endoscopic evaluation and therapy are required. VCE should be performed before deep enteroscopy if there is no contraindication. Computed tomographic enterography should be performed in patients with suspected obstruction before VCE or after negative VCE examinations. When there is acute overt hemorrhage in the unstable patient, angiography should be performed emergently. In patients with occult hemorrhage or stable patients with active overt bleeding, multiphasic computed tomography should be performed after VCE or CTE to identify the source of bleeding and to guide further management. If a source of bleeding is identified in the small bowel that is associated with significant ongoing anemia and/or active bleeding, the patient should be managed with endoscopic therapy. Conservative management is recommended for patients without a source found after small bowel investigation, whereas repeat diagnostic investigations are recommended for patients with initial negative small bowel evaluations and ongoing overt or occult bleeding.

Evaluation and outcomes of patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding

Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) is defined as recurrent or persistent bleeding or presence of iron deficiency anaemia after evaluation with a negative bidirectional endoscopy. OGIB accounts for 5% of gastrointestinal bleeding and presents a diagnostic challenge. Current modalities available for the investigation of OGIB include capsule endoscopy, balloon assisted enteroscopy, spiral enteroscopy and computed tomography enterography. These modalities overcome the limitations of previous techniques. Following a negative bidirectional endoscopy, capsule endoscopy and double balloon enteroscopy remain the cornerstone of investigation in OGIB given their high diagnostic yield. Long-term outcome data in patients with OGIB is limited, but is most promising for capsule endoscopy. This article reviews the current literature and provides an overview of the clinical evaluation of patients with OGIB, available diagnostic and therapeutic modalities and long-term clinical outcomes.

New insights to occult gastrointestinal bleeding: From pathophysiology to therapeutics

Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding is still a clinical challenge for gastroenterologists. The recent development of novel technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of different bleeding causes has allowed a better management of patients, but it also determines the need of a deeper comprehension of pathophysiology and the analysis of local expertise in order to develop a rational management algorithm. Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding can be divided in occult, when a positive occult blood fecal test is the main manifestation, and overt, when external sings of bleeding are visible. In this paper we are going to focus on overt gastrointestinal bleeding, describing the physiopathology of the most usual causes, analyzing the diagnostic procedures available, from the most classical to the novel ones, and establishing a standard algorithm which can be adapted depending on the local expertise or availability. Finally, we will review the main therapeutic options for this complex and not so uncommon clinical problem.

Iron deficiency anaemia: a review of diagnosis, investigation and management

Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is the most common form of anaemia worldwide. In men and postmenopausal women the commonest cause of IDA is blood loss from lesions in the gastrointestinal tract, making it a common cause of referral to gastroenterologists. Causes of IDA relate either to blood loss or iron malabsorption. After confirmation with laboratory tests, gastrointestinal evaluation is almost always indicated to exclude gastrointestinal malignancy. Specific patient groups such as premenopausal women, patients with low-normal ferritin and iron-deficient patients without anaemia may need an individualized approach. A small proportion of patients have recurrent or persistent IDA despite negative standard endoscopies. These patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding usually require evaluation of the small bowel with capsule endoscopy or double balloon enteroscopy. Treatment should involve prompt iron replacement plus diagnostic steps directed towards correcting the underlying cause of IDA. Oral iron replacement is cheap and effective, but parenteral (intravenous) therapy may be required due to intolerance, noncompliance or treatment failure with oral therapy.

Review article: the diagnosis and investigation of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding

BACKGROUND

Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) is a commonly encountered clinical problem in gastroenterology and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The investigation and management of OGIB has changed dramatically over the past decade with the advent of newer gastroenterological and radiological technologies.

AIM

To review the current evidence on the diagnosis and investigation of OGIB.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed database (1985-2010) for full original articles in English-language journals relevant to the investigation of OGIB. The search terms we used were 'gastrointestinal bleeding' or 'gastrointestinal hemorrhage' or 'small bowel bleeding' each in combination with 'obscure', or 'capsule endoscopy', or 'enteroscopy' or 'enterography' or 'enteroclysis'.

RESULTS

Capsule endoscopy (CE) or double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) should be first line investigations. They are complimentary procedures with comparable high diagnostic yields. DBE is also able to provide therapeutic intervention. Newer technologies such as single balloon and spiral enteroscopy are currently being evaluated. Radiological and nuclear medicine investigations, such as CT enterography and CT enteroclysis, are alternative diagnostic tools when CE or DBE are contraindicated. Repeating the gastroscopy and/or colonoscopy may be considered in selective situations. An algorithm for investigation of obscure bleeding is proposed.

CONCLUSIONS

The development of capsule endoscopy and double balloon enteroscopy has transformed the approach to the evaluation and management of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding over the past decade. Older diagnostic modalities still play a complementary, but increasingly selective role.

Unexplained iron deficiency anaemia: Is it worthwhile to perform capsule endoscopy?

BACKGROUND

In around 30% of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) cases a definite diagnosis cannot be made.

AIM

To investigate the role of capsule endoscopy (CE) in detecting lesions in patients with unexplained IDA after a negative endoscopic, serologic and haematologic diagnostic work up and its possible role in influencing clinical outcome.

METHODS

138 patients suffering from IDA were identified among 650 consecutive patients undergoing CE at our unit.

RESULTS

CE revealed the following positive findings in 91/138 patients: angiodysplasias in 51 patients; jejunal and/or ileal micro-ulcerations in 12; tumours/polyps in 9; erosive gastritis in 4; Crohn's disease in 5; jejunal villous atrophy in 5; a solitary ileal ulcer in 1 and active bleeding in the last 4 patients. Follow up data were available for 80/91 patients (87.9%). In 15 out of 46 patients with angiodysplasias IDA spontaneously resolved without any treatment; 9 patients required iron supplementation; 10 patients healed after lanreotide administration; APC was performed in 9 out of 46 patients and 3 patients underwent regular blood transfusion without any success on IDA. 10 out of the 12 patients with small bowel micro-ulcers spontaneously recovered from IDA whilst 2 patients after iron supplementation. All 9 patients affected by tumours/polyps were surgically addressed. In all erosive gastritis cases, patients recovered from IDA after PPI and Helicobacter pylori eradication. Four patients with Crohn's disease diagnosis restored to health with medical therapy. One out of the 4 patients with jejunal villous atrophy and the sole patient with a solitary ileal ulcer spontaneously healed. In 1 out of 3 patients with active bleeding IDA resolved without further treatment after blood transfusion whilst 2 patients were referred for surgical treatment. At follow up, complete resolution of IDA was achieved in 96.25%.

CONCLUSIONS

Small bowel investigation is a matter of great importance in IDA patients after negative upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Occult and obscure gastrointestinal bleeding: causes and clinical management

Occult gastrointestinal bleeding, defined as bleeding that is unknown to the patient, is the most common form of gastrointestinal bleeding and can be caused by virtually any lesion in the gastrointestinal tract. Patients with occult gastrointestinal bleeding include those with fecal occult blood and iron-deficiency anemia (IDA). In men and postmenopausal women, IDA should be considered to be the result of gastrointestinal bleeding until proven otherwise. Indeed, the possibility of gastrointestinal tract malignancy in these patients means that gastrointestinal evaluation is nearly always indicated. Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding is defined as obvious bleeding from a difficult to identify source and is always recurrent. This form of bleeding accounts for approximately 5% of all cases of clinically evident gastrointestinal bleeding and is most commonly caused by bleeding from the small intestine. Capsule endoscopy and deep enteroscopy have had a major impact on the way that patients with occult and, in particular, obscure bleeding are managed. In this Review the causes, diagnostic evaluation and treatment of occult and obscure gastrointestinal bleeding are discussed.

The evaluation and management of obscure and occult gastrointestinal bleeding

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a common clinical presentation increasing in an aging population, frequently requiring hospitalization and emergent intervention, with significant morbidity, mortality, and costs. It may manifest overtly as hematemesis, melena, or hematochezia, or as an asymptomatic occult bleed. Management typically involves an esophagogastroduodenoscopy or a colonoscopy; these in combination sometimes do not identify a source of bleeding, with the source remaining obscure. Further work up to identify an obscure source frequently requires radiologically detecting the leakage of an intravascular tracer (using tagged red blood cells or angiography) with brisk bleeding or in other cases CT enterography (CTE) to detect bowel wall changes consistent with a bleeding source. Recent advances including capsule endoscopy, CTE, and double-balloon endoscopy have helped to identify bleeding sources beyond the reach of conventional endoscopy. Clinical decision-making about their use is complex and evolving. Knowing their relative merits and weaknesses including yield, contraindications, complications, and cost is essential in coming up with an appropriate management plan. This review covers the rationale for clinical management of obscure sources of GI bleeding, mentioning the approach to and the yield of conventional methods, with an emphasis on the recent advances mentioned above.

Push enteroscopy in the era of capsule endoscopy

GOALS

To evaluate the diagnostic yield of push enteroscopy in relation to indication and compare the yield in patients who had capsule endoscopy followed by push enteroscopy against capsule endoscopy naive patients.

BACKGROUND

With the advent of capsule endoscopy the role of push enteroscopy needs to be reevaluated.

STUDY

Patients who underwent push enteroscopy from January 2002 to May 2006 were included.

RESULTS

One hundred fifty-five patients underwent push enteroscopy: 93 females, average age 55 years. There were 74 cases where both push enteroscopy (PE) and capsule endoscopy (CE) were performed. Indications for PE were iron deficiency anemia (n=51), overt bleeding (n=31), suspected celiac disease (n=32), refractory celiac disease (n=19), assessment for Crohn's disease (n=10), and miscellaneous (n=12). In 148 patients, an average length of 70 cm of small bowel was examined (range 30 to 130 cm). PE was unsuccessful in 7 patients due to anatomic strictures or patient distress. The overall diagnostic yield was 30% with the highest yield in overt bleeding when compared with other subgroups (P<0.001). Nine percent of lesions were within the reach of a standard endoscope. Comparison of the diagnostic yield in patients who had CE followed by PE against CE naive patients was 41% versus 47%, respectively (P<1). There were no cases where push enteroscopy recognized a lesion that had not been already detected by capsule endoscopy.

CONCLUSIONS

Push enteroscopy has the greatest diagnostic yield in patients with overt bleeding when compared with other referral indications. PE should be used as an adjuvant to CE for therapeutic intervention.

American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute technical review on obscure gastrointestinal bleeding

This literature review and the recommendations therein were prepared for the AGA Institute Clinical Practice and Economics Committee. The paper was approved by the Committee on March 12, 2007, and by the AGA Institute Governing Board on May 19, 2007.

Occult gastrointestinal bleeding

Occult gastrointestinal bleeding commonly manifests as iron deficiency anemia or fecal occult blood. Iron deficiency anemia results from chronic occult gastrointestinal bleeding. Evaluation of asymptomatic patients who have iron deficiency anemia or fecal occult blood usually should begin with investigation of the colon. Colonoscopy is preferred, but flexible sigmoidoscopy plus air contrast barium enema, or computed tomographic colonography may be acceptable in certain circumstances. If evaluation of the colon does not reveal a bleeding site, evaluation of the upper gastrointestinal tract is mandatory in patients who have iron deficiency anemia, and this should be considered in those who have fecal occult blood. In patients who have gastrointestinal symptoms, evaluation of the portion of the gastrointestinal tract from which the symptoms is derived should be pursued initially. The role of small intestinal investigation is controversial, and this probably should be reserved for patients who have iron deficiency anemia and persistent gastrointestinal symptoms or those who fail to respond to appropriate therapy. Celiac sprue should be considered as a potential cause of iron deficiency anemia in all patients. The treatment and prognosis of patients who have iron deficiency anemia or fecal occult blood depends on the gastrointestinal tract abnormality(ies) identified. Those without identifiable bleeding sites generally respond to conservative management and have a favorable prognosis. On the other hand, the outlook is poorer for patients with refractory occult blood loss or those who have vascular ectasias. Both groups of patients are clinically challenging and require a focused and experienced team approach to diagnosis and therapy.

Performance of antegrade double-balloon enteroscopy: comparison with push enteroscopy

BACKGROUND

Double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) is a novel procedure for the diagnosis of small-bowel pathology. The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the performance and the diagnostic value of antegrade DBE with those of push enteroscopy (PE).

METHODS

We reviewed endoscopic and histologic findings in 118 patients examined by PE or antegrade DBE during a period 1980 to 2004. The maximal length of insertion under plain radiograph was compared between patients examined by PE and those examined by antegrade DBE. Diagnostic yield was compared among patients stratified by indication for enteroscopy and the duodenal pathology.

RESULTS

Ninety-one patients were examined by PE and 27 patients by antegrade DBE. Length of insertion from the ligament of Treitz was significantly greater in antegrade DBE (median, 92 cm; range, 40-144 cm) than in PE (median, 22 cm; range, 0-98 cm; p < 0.0001). In 90 nonbleeding patients with inflammatory or miscellaneous diseases or polyposis, the diagnostic yield was not different between PE and antegrade DBE (64% vs. 82%, p = 0.13). However, it was higher in antegrade DBE (79%) than in PE (31%, p = 0.012) in nonbleeding patients without duodenal pathology. In bleeding patients, the diagnostic yield was 40% in antegrade DBE and 36% in PE (p = 0.61).

CONCLUSIONS

Antegrade DBE is superior to PE in exploration of the small intestine and in diagnostic yield for small-intestinal pathology.

Push enteroscopy alters management in a majority of patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding

INTRODUCTION

Although enteroscopy has been increasingly used to investigate occult or obscure bleeding, little is known about its impact on patient management. The aim of the present paper was to evaluate both the diagnostic yield and the impact of push enteroscopy on the management of patients referred to a tertiary Australian institution.

METHODS

Data were collected prospectively in all patients undergoing push enteroscopy at Royal Adelaide Hospital. Fifty-five patients were investigated for obscure gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding (25 women, mean age 65.6 years), the cause of which remained unknown despite previous gastroscopy and colonoscopy. The patients were divided into two groups: occult-obscure (anemia without macroscopic blood loss) and overt-obscure (macroscopic bleeding). Findings at enteroscopy, therapeutic procedures, and complications were recorded. Patients were followed to establish the impact of the procedure on subsequent management and clinical outcome.

RESULTS

Enteroscopy demonstrated a potential site of bleeding in 38 patients (69%), and 38% of lesions found were within the reach of the gastroscope. The most common lesions were small intestinal angiodysplasia. Seventy-five percent of patients with positive findings had alterations to their management. After subsequent treatment, 62% were no longer anemic and there was a significant reduction in rebleeding (P < 0.05) and transfusion requirements (P < 0.05) compared to patients with negative findings. The procedure was well tolerated and complications were rare.

CONCLUSION

Enteroscopy has a positive impact on patient management and clinical outcome in a majority of patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.

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Making the diagnosis of coeliac disease: is there a role for push enteroscopy?

BACKGROUND

Push enteroscopy is used in the assessment of refractory coeliac disease. However, its value in making the diagnosis of coeliac disease is still not defined.

METHODS

Thirty-one patients (22 females, nine males) were recruited prospectively between September 2001 and October 2002; the age range was 20-80 years (mean age, 52.7 years). All patients had symptoms suggestive of coeliac disease and positive serology but duodenal biopsy was not diagnostic. Twenty-three patients had positive IgA or/and IgG antigliadin antibodies, eight patients had positive endomysial antibodies (EMA). All patients underwent enteroscopy with repeat quadrantic duodenal and additional jejunal biopsies.

RESULTS

All samples were reviewed by a single, blinded, histopathologist. There were no cases of coeliac disease diagnosed on further biopsy in patients who had a positive gliadin antibody in isolation. In the eight EMA-positive cases repeat biopsy demonstrated coeliac disease in five patients. In 3/5 cases the changes were confined to the jejunal biopsies only.

CONCLUSION

EMA-positive patients with initially normal histology should have a further duodenal biopsy. In our series three of the five newly diagnosed coeliac disease patients only had villous atrophy demonstrable in the jejunum. There may be a role for push enteroscopy in making the diagnosis of coeliac disease. However, further prospective studies are needed.

The role of video capsule endoscopy in the evaluation of iron deficiency anaemia

It is widely accepted that chronic occult blood loss from the gastrointestinal tract is a major cause of iron deficiency anaemia. Endoscopists are often asked to evaluate iron deficiency anaemia and identify the source of bleeding. This review offers an effective diagnostic strategy for this common clinical problem. After investigating the normal upper and lower parts of the gastrointestinal tract, the source of bleeding remains unidentified in about 10% of patients. The existing guidelines for evaluation of iron deficiency anaemia in patients above the age of 45, who have undergone standard upper and lower gastrointestinal examinations, are limited to a "treat and observe" phase. Small bowel X-ray series fail to detect many mucosal lesions, particularly vascular ectasias. While enteroscopy offers direct visual inspection of the small bowel mucosa beyond the reach of the standard upper endoscopes, this instrument reaches only 80-120 cm beyond the ligament of Treitz and its sensitivity in identifying the source of bleeding varies (24-75% of patients). A new and conceptually simple approach to examining the entire small intestine is video capsule endoscopy of the small bowel. This review addresses the optimal role of video capsule endoscopy in iron deficiency anaemia patients and offers guidelines for the appropriate gastrointestinal evaluation in such patients.

Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding

This is one of a series of statements discussing the utilization of GI endoscopy in common clinical situations. The Standards of Practice Committee of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy prepared this text. In preparing this guideline, a MEDLINE literature search was performed, and additional references were obtained from the bibliographies of the identified articles and from recommendations of expert consultants. When little or no data exist from well-designed prospective trials, emphasis is given to results from large series and reports from recognized experts. Guidelines for appropriate utilization of endoscopy are based on a critical review of the available data and expert consensus. Further controlled clinical studies are needed to clarify aspects of this statement, and revision may be necessary as new data appear. Clinical consideration may justify a course of action at variance to these recommendations.

Diagnostic yield of routine push enteroscopy with a graded-stiffness enteroscope without overtube

BACKGROUND

Push enteroscopy has become a standard procedure for evaluation of small intestinal disorders. Its diagnostic yield and acceptability, however, has been hampered by the use of an overtube, which is both inconvenient and potentially hazardous. This study assessed the clinical value of enteroscopy with a graded-stiffness videoenteroscope without an overtube.

METHODS

A total of 121 consecutive patients (mean age 59 years, range 12-89 years) underwent diagnostic enteroscopy. All procedures (n = 126) were performed with a push-type graded-stiffness videoenteroscope without an overtube. Indications were the following: unexplained iron deficiency anemia (45%), GI bleeding (29%), abdominal pain (6%), malabsorption (5.5%), imaging abnormality (5.5%), diarrhea (4%), intestinal obstruction (3%), and vomiting (2%).

RESULTS

The mean depth of instrument insertion distal to the pylorus was 121 cm. A diagnosis was made in 40% of all procedures. The findings included ulcerations or erosions in 43%, angioectasia in 35%, inflammation in 14%, tumors in 6%, and varices in 2%. In all cases of a positive enteroscopic diagnosis, therapeutic maneuvers were performed, and no patient needed a further diagnostic procedure. Patient comfort was good. No complications were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Routine enteroscopy with a graded-stiffness enteroscope without an overtube is safe and comfortable for the patient and the endoscopist, and has a clinical efficacy comparable with that reported for enteroscopy with use of an overtube. A prospective, randomized study is warranted to assess the exact role of this form of enteroscopy in patient care.

Diagnostic yield and clinical implications of push enteroscopy: results from a nonspecialized center

BACKGROUND Push enteroscopy is increasingly used as an investigative tool for the evaluation of gastrointestinal bleeding, and studies from specialized centers have shown an overall diagnostic yield of push enteroscopy in such patients ranging from 38% to 75%. The aim of our study was to characterize the yield and clinical effect of push enteroscopy to determine the applicability of prior observations to other academic centers. STUDY We retrospectively studied patients who underwent push enteroscopy between January 1995 and December 2000 at our institution. Detailed clinical history, endoscopic findings, endoscopic therapy, and subsequent medical treatment were obtained through review of medical records and our endoscopic database. Medications prescribed after enteroscopy and whether medical management was affected by the findings of push enteroscopy were also recorded. RESULTS Over the 6-year study period, 126 patients (48% men; mean age, 62 years; range, 15-91 years) underwent push enteroscopy. The most common indications for push enteroscopy were gastrointestinal bleeding in 57 patients (45%) and iron-deficiency anemia in 32 (25%). The results of push enteroscopy were normal in 44 patients (35%), and the most frequent endoscopic lesions were angiectasias in 24 patients (19%), gastric erosions in 10 (8%), gastric ulcer in four (3%), jejunal ulcer in three (2%), and esophagitis in three (2%). The identified lesions (n = 89) were within reach of a standard upper endoscope in 42 patients (47%). Endoscopic therapy was performed in 12 patients (13%), and the management of 50 patients (40%) was changed based on findings at push enteroscopy. CONCLUSIONS Push enteroscopy has a high diagnostic yield, similar to reports from specialized centers suggesting the potential clinical benefit of more widespread use.

Outcomes of endoscopy in patients with iron deficiency anemia after Billroth II partial gastrectomy

GOALS

To determine the frequency of gastrointestinal lesions detected by upper endoscopy and colonoscopy in patients who developed iron deficiency anemia after Billroth II surgery.

STUDY

The authors reviewed the medical records of 116 consecutive patients with a Billroth II partial gastrectomy and 232 age- and gender-matched controls without gastric surgery who were referred for endoscopy to evaluate iron deficiency anemia over a 5-year period.

RESULTS

Clinically important lesions were detected in 22.4% of the patients with gastric surgery and in 59.5% of those with intact stomachs (p < 0.001). In the gastric surgery group, clinically important lesions were found more often in the upper gastrointestinal tract than in the colon (19.0% vs. 3.4%, p < 0.001). In the nonsurgical group, the diagnostic yields of upper endoscopy and colonoscopy were not significantly different (38.4% vs. 32.8%, p = 0.24). Synchronous lesions in the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract were significantly less common in the group of patients with gastric surgery compared with those without gastric surgery (0.0% vs. 11.6%, p < 0.001). Small bowel biopsies and small bowel follow-through did not identify any additional lesions. In the gastric surgery group, multivariate analysis identified abdominal symptoms (OR = 11.2, 95% CI 3.2-39.2, p < 0.001), a positive result on fecal occult blood testing (OR = 6.4, 95% CI 2.0-20.3, p = 0.002), and Billroth II surgery at least 10 years before evaluation (OR = 5.4, 95% CI 1.7-16.7, p = 0.004) as independent predictors of identifying a clinically important lesion by endoscopy.

CONCLUSIONS

Upper endoscopy had a significantly higher diagnostic yield than colonoscopy in patients who developed iron deficiency anemia after Billroth II surgery. Prospective studies are necessary to determine the role and cost-effectiveness of colonoscopy in the evaluation of iron deficiency anemia in this patient population.

Push enteroscopy in a UK district general hospital: experience of 51 cases over 2 years

OBJECTIVES

To determine the number of patients referred for enteroscopy in a district general hospital (DGH), the indication, enteroscopic +/- histological diagnosis, and to compare findings with other series from tertiary referral centres or outside the UK.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series over a 2-year period.

RESULTS

In the 2-year period, 52 patients were referred for enteroscopy. All except one underwent enteroscopy. The mean age of the patients was 60 years (range 31-84 years). The main indications for enteroscopy were obscure gastrointestinal haemorrhage in 31 (61%) patients (19 with acute and 12 with chronic bleeding) and 7 (14%) patients with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) on initial oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD). Other indications included clinical deterioration in known coeliac disease in four (8%) patients and abnormal small-bowel follow-through in five (10%) patients. More than half (51%) of the enteroscopies were reported as abnormal, but 10 (38%) had pathology in the stomach or first part of the duodenum (D1) not diagnosed on initial OGD. Diagnoses of two T-cell lymphomas and one of pre-lymphomatous monoclonal T-cell proliferation were made in the refractory coeliac disease group.

CONCLUSIONS

Indications (obscure gastrointestinal bleeding), most frequent findings (small-bowel AVMs), and 'missed' lesions within reach of a gastroscope (20%) were in keeping with other series. Enteroscopy is a useful tool in investigating patients with refractory coeliac disease. Its value in investigating patients with abnormal small-bowel radiology was not confirmed. The current need for push enteroscopy in a DGH is small (approximately 1 per 8000 population per year), but it would take only small changes in referral practice to escalate. Criteria for enteroscopy should be developed and refined with improving knowledge of the diagnostic yield for each indication and clinical outcome.

Advances in diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy

Endoscopy is extremely valuable in the evaluation of disorders of the luminal gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, and biliary system. Endoscopy as a medical discipline continues to evolve and is becoming increasingly therapeutic in nature. Minimally invasive endoscopic intervention now is effective in a wide variety of disorders, including gastrointestinal hemorrhage, obstructive diseases of the intestinal or biliary tree, and early detection or prevention of neoplastic disease of the colon and esophagus. The development of EUS technology has expanded greatly the potential utility of endoscopy as a diagnostic and a therapeutic modality, and further technologic advances are anticipated.

Does this elderly patient have iron deficiency anaemia, and what is the underlying cause?

Important implications for the recognition of iron deficiency anaemia include diagnosis and correction of underlying causes, most of which are identifiable, in the older patient, by means of conventional upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, and by colonoscopy. The aetiological search may, however, have to be widened to include enteroscopic examination of the jejunum and ileum and, in some instances, investigation of potential non-gastrointestinal foci of chronic blood loss. A substantial minority may defy even the most thorough search for the underlying cause.

Enteroscopy

It is now more than 25 years since small bowel enteroscopy (SBE) was first described. For several reasons, this technique developed more slowly than other more usual forms of endoscopy. First, small bowel disease is relatively rare in comparison with other gastrointestinal diseases. Also, there was lack of initial design agreement, and three different types of enteroscopes were developed within a short time of each other, two of which (push-type and sonde) are now available commercially. Finally, commercial interests of the manufacturers of endoscopes were mainly focused on the more conventional, large volume markets. In the last few years, specifically designed modern small bowel enteroscopes have become available and, in centers that have access to them, they have superseded attempts at SBE using adult or pediatric colonoscopes. There are now clear indications for SBE, such as: the investigation of obscure causes of bleeding and anemia; malabsorption; clarification of x-ray abnormalities; and, increasingly, the application of therapeutic endoscopy to lesions within the small bowel. Problem areas remain, but with advancing technology and more professional interest in this area, these will be addressed during the next few years.

AGA technical review on the evaluation and management of occult and obscure gastrointestinal bleeding

This literature review and the recommendations therein were prepared for the American Gastroenterological Association Clinical Practice and Practice Economics committee. The paper was approved by the committee on May 16, 1999, and by the AGA governing board on July 18, 1999.

Diagnostic value of push-type enteroscopy: a report from India

OBJECTIVE

We sought to assess the diagnostic value of push-type enteroscopy in relation to indications.

METHODS

Ninety-nine consecutive patients (mean age, 42+/-15 yr; 65 men) with suspected small bowel disorders underwent push enteroscopy. The indications were chronic diarrhea (n = 54), obscure gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding (n = 21), abdominal pain (n = 10), abnormal radiological studies of small bowel (n = 5), iron deficiency anemia (n = 5), and others (n = 4). Push enteroscopy was performed using the Olympus SIF-10 (160-cm) enteroscope.

RESULTS

Endoscopic examination of the jejunum was successful in all the patients, except one with a distal duodenal stricture. The length of the jejunum examined ranged from 10 to 70 cm. The time taken to complete the procedure varied from 2 to 30 min. Lesions were found in nine (42.8%) patients with obscure GI bleeding; six (28.5%) had worms (Ascaris lumbricoides [n = 3], Ankylostoma duodenale [n = 3]) in the jejunum, producing multiple erosions and bleeding points. In the chronic diarrhea group, a diagnosis was made in 13 (24%) patients on enteroscopic visualization and jejunal histology: celiac disease (n = 6), tropical sprue (n = 3), Crohn's disease (n = 1), secondary lymphangiectasia (n = 1), strongyloidiasis (n = 1), and nodular lymphoid hyperplasia with giardiasis (n = 1). In patients with abdominal pain, enteroscopy provided a diagnosis in one (10%) patient. No positive diagnosis could be made on enteroscopy in patients with iron deficiency anemia and abnormal radiological studies of small bowel.

CONCLUSION

Push-type enteroscopy is a useful test in the evaluation of patients with obscure GI bleeding and chronic diarrhea. In developing countries, in patients with obscure GI bleeding, the presence of worms in the jejunum is an important finding on enteroscopy. Tropical sprue, giardiasis, and strongyloidiasis are distinct findings in patients with chronic diarrhea in the present series.

The small bowel as a source of gastrointestinal blood loss

The small bowel is a rare but important source of blood loss from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In approximately 5% of all patients with GI bleeding, no cause for the bleeding is evident even after an extensive workup. This bleeding is often termed "gastrointestinal bleeding of obscure origin" or "obscure gastrointestinal bleed" (OGIB). Recent advancements in enteroscopy have contributed to a better understanding of the small bowel as a source of bleeding. On average, 27% of patients with OGIB have been shown to have lesions in the small bowel, with common findings including arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and small bowel tumors. The trend in primary diagnostic workup for obscure GI bleeding or suspected small bowel lesions is shifting toward enteroscopic examination. Availability of an accessory channel now offers the clinician management options such as endoscopic injection therapy, electrocautery, and polypectomy. The "gold standard" for examination of the entire small bowel is intraoperative enteroscopy. A newer technique involving laparascopic assistance may lower the morbidity associated with this examination. Combined hormonal therapy may be an alternative treatment for patients with AVMs or an unknown cause of bleeding after enteroscopic examination.