Contribution of enteroscopy in the diagnosis of digestive hemorrhages of unknown origin]

In this work we report our experience with enteroscopy and its contribution in the diagnosis of anaemia of unknown digestive origin. 90 enteroscopies had been performed in 83 anaemic patients with positive blood stool. 37 of the patients experienced episodes of melena. Preliminary minimal routine investigations including gastroscopy and coloscopy were not contributive. Potentially haemorrhagic lesions were diagnosed in 49 patients (59%), and 7 of these lesions were located in the small bowel. A small bowel lesion has been found in 17 patients with melena and in 19 patients without melena (p > 0.10). The most frequent lesions were angiodysplasias (AD). The mean age of patients with AD was 71.4 years old, vs. 57.2 years (p < 0.00001). Endoscopic bipolar electrocoagulation was performed in 22 patients. Enteroscopy is an efficient technique in the evaluation of patients suffering from obscure digestive bleeding, regardless the presence or absence of melena.