Usefulness of double balloon enteroscopy in obscure gastrointestinal bleeding / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Double balloon enteroscopy was developed to improve access to the small intestine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of double balloon enteroscopy in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. METHODS: From November 2004 through August 2005, 24 consecutuve patients (14 males, 10 females; mean age 48+/-15.1 years, range 2181 years) with gastrointestinal bleeding of an obscure origin were enrolled in this study. The patients underwent enteroscopy using the double balloon technique for the following indications (1) clinical evidence of gastrointestinal bleeding such as melena and hematochezia (the Hb levels ranged from 5.9 g/dL to 11.9 g/dL, mean 9.0+/-2.3 g/dL) (2) no site and cause of blood loss detected by upper endoscopy and colonoscopy. RESULTS: Of 24 patients that underwent a double balloon enteroscopy, bleeding points were identified in 22 patients. The causes of bleeding were nine small bowel ulcera, six angiodysplasiaa, three cases of Crohn's disease, two gastrointestinal stromal tumors, one Meckel's diverticulum and one cecal diverticular ulcer. However, two cases showed negative findings. No patient suffered from procedure related complication. CONCLUSIONS: Double balloon enteroscopy is a safe and useful diagnostic tool for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.