Video capsule endoscopy usage: Intra-hospital consultations before and after the expansion of indications

Abstract

　Approximately 10 years have passed since video capsule endoscopy （VCE） was introduced in routine clinical practice in Japan. We started using VCE in January 2009. Here we investigated the contribution of VCE and its level of recognition at our 855-bed hospital. We compared the clinical characteristics of intra-hospital consultation cases with non-consultation cases, and the details of the cases from each of our hospital’s departments. The number of intra-hospital consultations was notably increased by our expansion of the indications for non-obscure gastrointestinal bleeding （OGIB） cases. However, most of our hospital’s departments are sub-departments of internal medicine, in which almost no change in indications has been made. We found that the percentage of OGIB cases was higher among the intra-hospital consultations than non-consultations, and that the OGIB percentages differed markedly among the departments. Especially for OGIB cases, all hospital departments should be better informed regarding the indications for and efficacy of VCE.