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Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 28, 2009; 15(16): 1934-1942
Published online Apr 28, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.1934
Five years’ experience with capsule endoscopy in a single center
Taylan Kav, Yusuf Bayraktar
Taylan Kav, Yusuf Bayraktar, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, Ankara 06100, Turkey
Author contributions: Kav T and Bayraktar Y contributed equally to this work.
Correspondence to: Taylan Kav, MD, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, Ankara 06100, Turkey. tkav@hacettepe.edu.tr
Telephone: +90-312-3051712
Fax: +90-312-4429429
Received: February 1, 2009
Revised: March 19, 2009
Accepted: March 26, 2009
Published online: April 28, 2009
Abstract

Capsule endoscopy (CE) is a novel technology that facilitates highly effective and noninvasive imaging of the small bowel. Although its efficacy in the evaluation of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) has been proven in several trials, data on uses of CE in different small bowel diseases are rapidly accumulating in the literature, and it has been found to be superior to alternative diagnostic tools in a range of such diseases. Based on literature evidence, CE is recommended as a first-line investigation for OGIB after negative bi-directional endoscopy. CE has gained an important role in the diagnosis and follow-up of Crohn’s disease and celiac disease and in the surveillance of small bowel tumors and polyps in selected patients. Capsule retention is the major complication, with a frequency of 1%-2%. The purpose of this review was to discuss the procedure, indications, contraindications and adverse effects associated with CE. We also review and share our five-year experience with CE in various small bowel diseases. The recently developed balloon-assisted enteroscopies have both diagnostic and therapeutic capability. At the present time, CE and balloon-assisted enteroscopies are complementary techniques in the diagnosis and management of small bowel diseases.

Keywords: Capsule endoscopy; Small bowel diseases; Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding; Crohn’s disease; Celiac disease; Indications; Contraindications