[Clinical features of obscure-overt gastrointestinal bleeding].
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.
Kim
Jong Pyo
JP
Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Han
Dong Soo
DS
Lee
Hang Lak
HL
Kim
Jin Bae
JB
Park
Joon Yong
JY
Eun
Chang Soo
CS
Lee
Oh Yong
OY
Sohn
Joo Hyun
JH
Choi
Ho Soon
HS
Hahm
Joon Soo
JS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies