HOW EFFECTIVE IS ENTEROSCOPY

The small bowel can be successfully investigated by enteroscopy techni ques. Several types of enteroscopes with different been the respective advantages and disadvantages of the different techniques. Results of several series using these two enteroscopes are summarized and comment ed. The review of different series make clear that enteroscopes, espec ially those including an operating channel represent an attractive alt ernative diagnostic tool to angiography and small bowel barium studies in patients presenting obscure digestive bleeding. The series reviewe d in this paper confirm the high diagnostic efficacy of this type of e ndoscopy. Most of the lesions found are arteriovenous malformations es pecially in the elderly. Small bowel tumours are more likely to be fou nd in younger patients. New indications for enteroscopy should be eval uated carefully. Obscure digestive bleeding represents the main indica tion of enteroscopy. However clinical situations suggesting Crohn's di sease or malabsorption syndromes may be effectively evaluated by this special endoscopic technique.