[Experience with capsule endoscopy diagnostic tool for the small intestine].
BACKGROUND
Wireless capsule endoscopy (CE) is a relatively new method to evaluate the small intestine.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the indications of CE in our center and assess whether specific indications are associated with best results during CE studies.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of 69 patients aged 9 to 85 years (36 males) subjected to a CE at our institution between April 2004 and October 2007.


RESULTS
The most common indications for CE were overt gastrointestinal bleeding in 43.5% of patients, iron deficiency anemia in 39.1 %, suspicion of a small bowel tumor in 4.3%, chronic diarrhea in 4.3% and abdominal pain in 2.9%. CE was normal in 23.2% and was able to find lesions in 76.8% of the studies. Gastrointestinal bleeding, followed by iron deficiency anemia were the indications associated with the higher rates of positive findings during CE.


CONCLUSIONS
Gastrointestinal bleeding and iron deficiency anemia were the indications that obtained the best diagnostic yield for CE.
Sanhueza Bravo
Edgar
E
Departamento de Enfermedades Digestivas, Clínia Alemana de Santiago, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Vitacura Santiago de Chile. esanhueza@alermana.cl
Ibáñez
Patricio
P
Araya
Raúl
R
Delgado
Iris
I
Quezada
Soledad
S
Jadue
Liliana
L
Navarrete
Claudio
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D053704:Capsule Endoscopy; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007421:Intestine, Small; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult