Explanatory power and importance of capsule endoscopy according to gastrointestinal symptoms

Background and Aims: Capsule endoscopy is a commonly used diagnostic method for investigating gastrointestinal complaints that are not detected by endoscopy. Our aim is to determine the explanatory power and importance of capsule endoscopy according to the type of gastrointestinal symptoms. Materials and Methods: A total of 95 patients who underwent capsule endoscopy were retrospectively evaluated. Demographic data, complaints, capsule endoscopic data, gastroscopy, and colonoscopy results were evaluated. Results: Of the total patients, 38.9% (n= 37) were female and 61.1% (n= 58) were male. A total of 141 lesions were detected during the procedures. The mean age of the cases was 56.98±18.95 (range: 14-92). Forty-four lesions were detected in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, of which 61.4% were found in the jejunum. In the patients with overt gastrointestinal bleeding, 56 lesions were found, of which 42.9% were in the jejunum. Sixteen lesions were found in patients with diarrhea, and 50% of them were in the ileum. Twenty-five lesions were found in patients with abdominal pain, and 56% of them were in the ileum. Jejunal angiodysplasia was the most common lesion type and location in patients with overt and occult gastrointestinal bleeding complaints, 21/37 and 20/32, respectively. Patients with diarrhea and abdominal pain had the most common type and location of ileal Crohn’s disease, 4/5 and 3/4, respectively. According to the number of symptoms, 41.1% (n= 39) of patients had only one symptom upon evaluation. Examination of individual symptoms revealed that patients were most frequently referred with anemia (49/170). In all, 79.6% of patients with anemiahad lesions; however, 97.4% of these lesions were elucidatory. Conclusion: Capsule endoscopy is a very effective diagnostic method when it is used with appropriate indications to determine the origin of gastrointestinal symptoms