Multiple angiodysplasias diagnosed by capsule endoscopy

Abstract

Angiodysplasias are the most frequent vascular lesions of the gastrointestinal tract and sources of significant mortality from bleeding. Small bowel angiodysplasias account for approximately 40% of cases of gastrointestinal bleeding with obscure origin and represent the single most common cause for hemorrhage in this subset of patients. Their cause is unknown but most are probably acquired and the result of a degenerative process associated with aging. The difficulty of their diagnosis stems from their multiple appearance and small size. Examinations that have been performed so far support that the sensitivity of capsule endoscopy (CE) performed during active bleeding was higher than in case of previous overt bleeding and occult bleeding. A 61-year-old female patient, who has received anticoagulant therapy for 13 years, presented with recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding of obscure origin underwent wireless capsule endoscopy after negative upper endoscopy and colonoscopy. CE showed non-bleeding typical angiodysplasia in the antrum of the stomach and active bleeding in the first third of jejunum without a visible bleeding source. As the next diagnostic step we performed selective mesenteric angiography to clarify the diagnosis and at the same time we also applied radiological intervention. Capsule endoscopy changed in practice guidelines for obscure bleeding and became the first-line method for evaluation of patient after upper endoscopy and colonoscopy have been shown to be negative. If the examination is performed early, CE could shorten considerably the time to diagnosis, lead to definitive treatment and numerous examinations with low yield could be avoided. The therapy of small bowel angiodysplasias is questionable. Radiological intervention poses the least load for the patient.