Small-bowel tumors diagnosed by wireless capsule endoscopy: report of five cases

• Published in: Endoscopy Vol. 35; no. 10; p. 865
• Main Authors: de Mascarenhas-Saraiva, M N, da Silva Araújo Lopes, L M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01-10-2003
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - etiology; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal - methods; Female; Hemangioma, Capillary - diagnosis; Humans; Ileal Neoplasms - complications; Ileal Neoplasms - diagnosis; Jejunal Neoplasms - complications; Jejunal Neoplasms - diagnosis; Male; Middle Aged
• DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-42625
• ISSN: 0013-726X

Tumors of the small bowel, both benign and malignant, are relatively uncommon. As the symptoms are vague and conventional diagnostic tests are unsatisfactory, these tumors often present a clinical, radiological, and endoscopic challenge. We report here on five patients in whom small-bowel tumors were diagnosed using wireless capsule endoscopy. The indications for capsule endoscopy were: obscure gastrointestinal bleeding in four patients (one jejunal capillary hemangioma, one ileal hemangiosarcoma, and two jejunal gastrointestinal stromal tumors) and chronic abdominal pain in one patient (ileal carcinoid). Wireless capsule endoscopy, a new endoscopic method, promises to improve the diagnosis of deep small-bowel pathology.