Abstract

CASANOVA, Rosalba. Diagnostic approach to obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. Gen [online]. 2013, vol.67, n.3, pp.175-180. ISSN 0016-3503.

Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding is a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for the gastroenterologist due to the complexity of it´s management and it´s association with high morbidity and mortality. The advent of new diagnostic tools such as capsule endoscopy, balloon assisted enteroscopy and enterography (CT,MR) permanently changed the understanding and approach to this clinical situation, thereby generating new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies that are currently cost effective. Methods: We conducted a literature review in Medline (PubMed) (1995 to 2013) of the original articles published in the English language, taking into consideration the key words, "obscure gastrointestinal bleeding," "gastrointestinal bleeding", "occult gastrointestinal bleeding","capsule endoscopy", "balloon assisted by enteroscopy". The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the diagnostic approach of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.

Keywords : obscure gastrointestinal bleeding; occult bleeding; capsule endoscopy; balloon assisted by enteroscopy.

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