Indications for small bowel capsule endoscopy and its safety and diagnostic yield in Mexican patients. Experience at a tertiary care hospital center

Abstract Introduction Appearing in the year 2000, capsule endoscopy revolutionized the study of the small bowel. It is the gold standard for the study of small bowel bleeding and is considered a safe procedure. Objective The aim of the present study was to identify the indications for, diagnostic yield, and safety of capsule endoscopy in Mexican patients. Materials and methods A descriptive study was conducted on the first 500 small bowel capsule endoscopies performed at a tertiary care hospital center in Mexico City. Sex, age, type of video camera employed, bowel transit time, referral diagnosis, and capsule endoscopy findings and complications were registered. Results Mean patient age was 55 years (± 17.63) and 57.9% of the cases were women. Complete visualization of the small bowel was achieved in 420 capsule endoscopies (84%). Mean bowel transit time was 272.25 minutes (± 114.86). The most common indications for the procedure were small bowel bleeding (65.2%), search for neoplasia (14.4%), and Crohn's disease (10.2%). The presence of ulcers was the most common finding in small bowel bleeding (24.8%), followed by angioectasias (18.9%). Capsule retention was the only complication and it presented in 11 patients (2.2%). Conclusions Capsule endoscopy is a safe and efficacious method for studying the small bowel. The results obtained in Mexican patients were similar to those described in the international literature. The present case series is the largest reported in a Mexican population.