SUMMARYBackground: The demand for gastrointestinal endoscopy is increasing in most developed countries, resulting in an important rise in overall costs and waiting lists for endoscopic procedures. Therefore, adherence to appropriate indications for these procedures is essential for the rational use of finite resources in an open-access system. Aim: To assess indications and appropriateness of colonoscopy according to the European Panel on the Appropriateness of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (EPAGE) criteria. Methods: From May to June 2004, all consecutive patients referred to our Unit for open-access colonoscopy were considered for inclusion in this prospective study. Appropriateness of each colonoscopy was established according to the EPAGE criteria. In order to evaluate whether appropriateness of use correlated with the diagnostic yield of colonoscopy, relevant endoscopic findings were also recorded.
SUMMARYBackground: The identification and treatment of lesions located in the small intestine in obscure gastrointestinal bleeding is always a clinical challenge. Aim: To examine prospectively the diagnostic precision and the clinical efficacy of capsule endoscopy compared with push enteroscopy in obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. Methods: Forty-two patients (22 men and 20 women) with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (overt bleeding in 26 cases and occult blood loss with chronic anaemia in 16) and normal oesophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy were analysed. All patients were instructed to receive the capsule endoscopy and push enteroscopy was performed within the next 7 days. Both techniques were blindly performed by separate examiners. The diagnostic yield for each technique was defined as the
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