Diagnostic effect of capsule endoscopy in 31 cases of subacute small bowel obstruction.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of capsule endoscopy (CE) in patients with recurrent subacute small bowel obstruction.


METHODS
The study was a retrospective analysis of 31 patients referred to hospital from January 2003 to August 2008 for the investigation of subacute small bowel obstruction, who underwent CE. The patients were aged 9-81 years, and all of them had undergone gastroscopy and colonoscopy previously. Some of them received abdominal computed tomography or small bowel follow-through.


RESULTS
CE made a definitive diagnosis in 12 (38.7%) of 31 cases: four Crohn's disease (CD), two carcinomas, one intestinal tuberculosis, one ischemic enteritis, one abdominal cocoon, one duplication of the intestine, one diverticulum and one ileal polypoid tumor. Capsule retention occurred in three (9.7%) of 31 patients, and was caused by CD (2) or tumor (1). Two with retained capsules were retrieved at surgery, and the other one of the capsules was spontaneously passed the stricture by medical treatment in 6 mo. No case had an acute small bowel obstruction caused by performance of CE.


CONCLUSIONS
CE provided safe and effective visualization to identify the etiology of a subacute small bowel obstruction, especially in patients with suspected intestinal tumors or CD, which are not identified by routine examinations.
Yang
Xiao-Yun
XY
Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, #79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
Chen
Chun-Xiao
CX
Zhang
Bing-Ling
BL
Yang
Li-Ping
LP
Su
Hua-Jing
HJ
Teng
Li-Song
LS
Li
You-Ming
YM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D053704:Capsule Endoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult