Endoscopic management of Kock pouch dysfunction: case report of a method to establish wire-guided pouch access for catheterization

Quality Indicators for Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy

Capsule endoscopy (CE) enables evaluation of the entire mucosal surface of the small bowel (SB), which is one of the most important steps for evaluating obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. Although the diagnostic yield of SB CE depends on many clinical factors, there are no reports on quality indicators. Thus, the Korean Gut Image Study Group (KGISG) publishes an article titled, “Quality Indicators for Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy” under approval from the Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (KSGE). Herein, we initially identified process quality indicators, while the structural and outcome indicators are reserved until sufficient clinical data are accumulated. We believe that outcomes of SB CE can be improved by trying to meet our proposed quality indicators.

Endoscopic approach to capsule endoscope retention

In recent years, wireless capsule endoscopy has become increasingly indicated and utilized in the diagnosis and management of small bowel disorders. As such, its most common complication, capsule retention, has become a more frequently encountered clinical entity. Historically, when medical management of capsule retention has failed, patients have been sent directly to surgery. However, recent advances in small bowel enteroscopy have demonstrated a high success rate and safety profile in retrieving retained capsules. These approaches appear to be a viable alternative to surgery in many clinical scenarios. This article discusses both standard and advanced endoscopic approaches to capsule retention, and presents an algorithmic approach to their utilization.

Impact of double-balloon enteroscopy findings on the management of Crohn's disease

OBJECTIVE

It is estimated that 10%-30% of Crohn's disease (CD) patients have small-bowel lesions, but the exact frequency and clinical relevance of these findings are unknown. Double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) enables endoscopic visualization of the small bowel. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of DBE for detecting small-bowel lesions in CD patients suspected of having small-bowel involvement. Furthermore, the clinical impact of adjusting treatment in these patients was assessed.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A prospective study was performed in a tertiary referral center. CD patients suspected of small-bowel involvement and in whom distal activity had previously been excluded were included. All patients underwent DBE, followed by step-up therapy in patients with small-bowel lesions. The presence of small-bowel lesions during DBE was noted and clinical outcome was assessed after adjusting therapy.

RESULTS

Thirty-five patients (70%) showed small-bowel lesions; these lesions could not be assessed by conventional endoscopy in 23 (46%). At 1-year follow-up, step-up therapy in 26 patients (74%) led to clinical remission in 23 (88%). This was confirmed by a significant decrease in Crohn's disease activity index and mucosal repair on second DBE.

CONCLUSIONS

DBE showed a high frequency of small-bowel lesions in known CD patients with clinically suspected small-bowel activity. Most of these lesions were not accessible for conventional endoscopy. Adjusting treatment in patients with small-bowel CD involvement led to clinical remission and mucosal repair in the majority of cases.

Small bowel imaging- a rapidly changing field and a challenge to radiology

There was a time when the small bowel follow-through (SBFT) was the primary method of diagnosing diseases of the small intestine. Enteroclysis was reinvented in the 70's and with the SBFT remained the dominant methods of investigating the mesenteric small intestine to the late 90's. Since the introduction of the first commercial computed tomography (CT) scanner in 1973, the ability of monoslice CT to diagnose different causes of intestinal obstruction and inflammatory bowel diseases emerged. The introduction of helical CT technology in 1989 and subsequently multichannel CT further changed small bowel imaging. Faster acquisition of a large volume of data with thinner collimation allowed multiplanar reformatting a distinct advantage in evaluating an organ which is longer than wide. The introduction of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with its increased soft tissue contrast, lack of ionizing radiation, and the ability to acquire ultrafast sequences has made MR imaging an important tool in small bowel imaging (1).

Video capsule endoscopy in inflammatory bowel disease: past, present, and future

In this paper, we critically review the rationale, technical issues, and diagnostic findings, difficulties in interpretation, complications, potential clinical uses, and practical obstacles for capsule endoscopy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We will review the currently limited data on its use in IBD and discuss future areas of investigation required to evaluate critically its potential utility in these patients.