Abstract

GALIANO DE SANCHEZ, María Teresa; SANCHEZ ARCINIEGAS, Federico  and  PINEDA OVALLE, Luis Fernando. Clinical experience of using the video capsule endoscopy (VCE) as a diagnostic method in small intestine pathology. Rev Col Gastroenterol [online]. 2009, vol.24, n.1, pp.17-25. ISSN 0120-9957.

The VCE was introduced in Colombia in June 2003 as a method to diagnose diseases in the small intestine. We ran comprehensive observations with a series of 100 cases and created a retrospective and descriptive study of patients referred to us for the practice of VCE. Objectives. To present the clinical experience in the use of the VCE in our population. To determine the most frequent findings for the study of the small intestine with VCE in our country. To define the pathologies found in the group of patients studied, describe the video capsule findings in relation to the symptoms. Methodology. We conducted a descriptive analysis of the identified and studied variables, looking at the behaviour of the data the central trend and dispersion of the variables was calculated. Results. In 97% of the cases, the indication was for the study of occult or overt obscure digestive bleeding. The most frequent diagnosed pathology was the vascular pathology (angiectasias) of the small intestine; followed by the inflammatory pathology (ulcers) with tumours and parasite. Conclusion. The video capsule endoscopy exam is of great help in the study of obscure digestive bleeding whether it is occult or overt. It should be considered in our country as the primary choice after the upper digestive endoscopy with visualisation of the second duodenal portion (2) and the colonoscopy with ileoscopy (2) if the patient doesn’t present obstructive symptoms.

Keywords : Small intestine; Video capsule endoscopy; Obscure digestive bleeding; Angioectasias; Inflammatory bowel disease; Small bowel tumors; Intestinal parasites.

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