Capsule endoscopy in diagnosing small bowel Crohn's disease / 中华消化内镜杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of wireless capsule endoscopies in patients with suspected CD of the small bowel.Methods From May 2002 through April 2003, we prospectively examined 20 suspected CD patients by capsule endoscopies with normal results in other conventional examinations. It includes the presence of the following symptoms and signs abdominal pain, weight loss, positive fecal occult blood test, iron deficiency anemia, diarrhea and fever. Mean duration of symptoms before diagnosis was 6 5 years.Results Of the 20 participants, 13 (65%) were diagnosed as having CD of the small bowel according to the findings of the M2A Given Capsule. Among the findings detected by the capsule were mucosal erosions (2 patients), aphthae (5 patients), granulomatous nodularity (1 patient), large ulcers (2 patients), and ulceration with incomplete obstruction (3 patients). All of the 13 patients who received medications showed good clinical improvement.Conclusion Wireless capsule endoscopies were the effective device for diagnosing patients with suspected CD, undetected by conventional diagnostic measures.It may be more likely to detect early lesions in the small bowel of patients with CD.