title: [Clinical features of obscure-overt gastrointestinal bleeding].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) is defined as recurrent acute or chronic bleeding for which no sources have been identified by routine endoscopic and contrast studies. The patients with OGIB are frequently difficult to manage and often undergo extensive investigation and even laparatomy without diagnosis. The aim of this study was to review our overall experiences of the investigation and treatment of OGIB.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed, retrospectively, medical records of 41 cases with OGIB from June 1996 to July 2002.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 41 patients with OGIB, there were 21 men and 20 women and their mean age was 47.8 years (range, 18 to 81 years). Diagnosis was possible in 13 patients (31.7%) and no specific causes were identified in the remaining 28 patients (68.3%). The principal etiologies were gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the small bowel in 3 cases, duodenal diverticulum in 2 cases. Other causes are as follows: adenocarcinoma of the duodenal 3rd portion, duodenal varix at the 4th portion, splenic artery pseudoaneurysm, Crohn's disease, jejunal ulcer, ileal ulcer, ileal angiodysplasia, and anastomosis site bleeding after hemicolectomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that further and logical diagnostic investigations such as small bowel enteroscopy and wireless capsule endoscopy will promise better results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Pyo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong Soo
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Hang Lak
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jin Bae
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Joon Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Chang Soo
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Eun
authors.forename: Oh Yong
authors.initials: OY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Joo Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Ho Soon
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Joon Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hahm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies