Diagnosis and treatment of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding using combined capsule endoscopy and double balloon endoscopy: 1-year follow-up study

Background and study aims: Several studies have shown the value of capsule endoscopy and double balloon endoscopy (DBE) in small-intestinal bleeding. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of capsule endoscopy results on subsequent DBE examination, and the 1-year clinical outcome of this combined approach in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB).

Patients and methods: A total of 45 consecutive patients with OGIB underwent capsule endoscopy. Patients with positive capsule endoscopy results underwent DBE for biopsy or therapy, and those with negative results underwent further assessment for possible diagnostic misses on capsule endoscopy. Tumors, ulcerations, and vascular lesions were considered as sources of bleeding. Diagnoses of OGIB lesions and clinical outcome were assessed 1 year after these examinations.

Results: Responsible lesions were found in 22 patients (49 %): 19 lesions in 18/45 patients (40 %) undergoing capsule endoscopy, and 18/36 patients (50 %) undergoing subsequent DBE. In all, 10 tumors, nine vascular lesions, and four ulcerations were found. In two patients, vascular lesions were only later diagnosed by conventional methods (4 %). Capsule endoscopy results guided our choice of the proper DBE model for successful therapeutic intervention in five patients. Re-bleeding rates were low during 1-year follow-up of the entire group (mean follow-up, 18.8 months): 5 % in cases with positive diagnoses on capsule endoscopy and/or DBE, and 12 % in negative cases.

Conclusions: A combined approach using capsule endoscopy followed by DBE proves valuable in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with OGIB, leaves a low rate of undiagnosed bleeding sources, and has a good long-term outcome.

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