OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical utility of capsule endoscopy in diagnosing small bowel disease.

METHODSA retrospective review of 155 cases undergone capsule endoscopy examinations from September 2002 to March 2007 in our hospital were performed. Gastric and small bowel transit time, patient tolerability, number of complete and incomplete examinations, and examination findings were evaluated.

RESULTSA total of 155 cases were reviewed, and 159 times of capsule endoscopy examination were finished. Of the 155 patients, 97 suffered from obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, 42 abdominal pain, 6 abdominal discomfort, 4 diarrhea, and 6 body check. The capsule endoscopy examination for the entire small bowel were finished in 93.1%(148/159)cases. All the patients had no discomfortable feeling during the examinations. The capsule endoscopy remained in the stomach for an average of 65.5 min(1 to 335 min). The mean transit time in the small bowel was 282.2 min(45 to 524 min). The diagnostic yield of capsule endoscopy was 78.6%(125/159). Vasculopathy was present in 43.4% patients, enteritis in 28.3%, submucous knot in 10.1%, diverticulum of small intestine in 8.2%, and small intestine tumor in 5.7%. Other findings consisted of polyposis of small intestine, foreign objects and parasite. The diagnostic yield of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding by capsule endoscopy was 89.7%, and of abdominal pain was 73.8%.

CONCLUSIONSCapsule endoscopy is safe and well tolerated. Capsule endoscopy is a valuable diagnostic tool in the evaluation of occult small bowel disease, especially for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.