2007 Volume 27 Issue 7 Pages 941-947
Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) is a major advance in visualization of the small intestine and has been widely used for small intestinal involvement. We have developed a new capsule endoscope in collaboration with Olympus Medical Systems Corporation. Its features include upgraded resolution, depth of field and brightness of the image by improving the optical system. They also have a new function which adjusts the level of lighting to automatically coordinate with the brightness of the field, and are fitted with an original handy real-time viewer display. Together with double-balloon endoscopy (DBE) or single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE), VCE is a new device which contributes to the diagnosis and the treatment of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB). The algorithm for OGIB using VCE has been reported in the consensus meeting of International conference on capsule endoscopy in 2005, however, it does not include DBE/SBE methods. In the near future, establishment of the approach to the diagnosis of OGIB using VCE, DBE/SBE and conventional methods including angiography, small bowel series and scintigraphy will be expected.
