title: [Experience with capsule endoscopy diagnostic tool for the small intestine].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermedades Digestivas, Clínia Alemana de Santiago, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Vitacura Santiago de Chile. esanhueza@alermana.cl
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sanhueza Bravo
authors.forename: Patricio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ibáñez
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Araya
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: Soledad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quezada
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jadue
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Navarrete
mesh_terms: 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