الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract The diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding is not always an easy task for the physician or the surgeon thus our aim of work is to review and assess the recent literature about the diagnosis and management of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. The common causes of gastrointestinal bleeding such as; peptic ulcer, esophageal varices, angiodysplasia, small bowel vascular lesions or tumors, inflammatory bowel disease and diverticulosis are usually diagnosed by endoscopy, sometimes these lesions are overlooked by the unexperienced endoscopist especially if they are difficult to locate or if at the time of endoscopy no bleeding is present. Those with recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding that is difficult to diagnose should undergo a sequence of investigations from panendoscopy through small and large bowel, radiological contrast studies, radio-isotope scan and selective visceral angiography to preoperative endoscopy. By definition, an obscure source of hemorrhage has not been discovered by routine, standard investigations. The first rule in such patient; however, is that one must not hesitate to repeat previously normal investigations. |