title: The role of capsule endoscopy in the work-up of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of capsule endoscopy in the detection of causes of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients, nine males and six females, mean age 46 years (range 20-75 years), were investigated. All patients had undergone upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy with no evidence of causes of bleeding. Indication for capsule endoscopy was overt bleeding in 10 patients (eight with melaena and two with rectal bleeding) and anaemia in five patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diagnosis was made in four out of 10 patients with overt bleeding (40%) and in four out of five (80%) in the group with anaemia. The overall detection rate was 53%. Of the eight patients with melaena, two had angiodysplasia, one showed a diffuse inflammation of the jejunum and ileum probably related to associated portal hypertension, and five had a normal examination. Of the two patients with rectal bleeding, one had a polyp in the terminal ileum and the other a normal examination. Of the five patients with anaemia, one had jejunal carcinoma, three had Crohn's disease and one had a normal endoscopy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wireless capsule endoscopy is safe, effective, non-invasive, and provides definitive diagnosis in about one-half of patients presenting with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding and previous negative endoscopic examinations.
authors.affiliation: Digestive Endoscopy Service, Vittorio Emanuele Hospital, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Magnano
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Privitera
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Calogero
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nanfitò
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sanfilippo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biondi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Basile
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology; D016888:Angiodysplasia / Q000150:complications; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007580:Jejunal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008551:Melena / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D012007:Rectum