Obscure GI bleeding: Capsule and double-balloon techniques

Abstract

Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding is defined as blood loss from the gastrointestinal tract after negative upper endoscopy and colonoscopy and may be overt if there is evidence of bleeding, or occult in the event of persistent iron-deficiency anemia or positive fecal blood test [1]. In spite of this definition, up to one-quarter of patients with a negative initial EGD have had bleeding sources identified on relook endoscopy, which is recommended before labeling a patient as having obscure GI bleeding [2, 3]. © 2010 Springer-Verlag New York.