Epidemiological and endoscopic characteristics of patients undergoing enteroscopy. Gastroenterology Service. CMDLT

Abstract

Introduction: Enteroscopy allows for the exploration of the small intestine and is useful for evaluating gastrointestinal bleeding, Crohn's disease, neoplasms, and other conditions. Among its benefits, it allows for biopsy sampling and the treatment of various lesions. Objective: To determine the epidemiological and endoscopic characteristics of patients undergoing enteroscopy at the Gastroenterology Department of the Centro Médico Docente La Trinidad between 2014 and 2024. Materials and methods: A retrospective, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted. The analyzed sample included 66 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Results: The mean age was 57.17 ± 18.71 years; 58% were male; 64% were referred from outpatient clinics; the most frequent indication was gastrointestinal bleeding (32%); and the antegrade approach was used in 65% of cases. The mean procedure time was 81.06 ± 51.59 minutes. Among the findings, ulcers were present in 30% of cases, angioectasia in 29%, and enteroscopy showed no lesions in 21%. Treatment was performed in 32% of cases, the most frequent being argon plasma coagulation (71%), followed by polypectomy (14%). Regarding the diagnosis, angioectasia was present in 19 cases (29%), followed by Crohn's disease in 14 patients (21%), and enteroscopy showed no lesions in 14 cases (21%). Conclusion: In patients undergoing enteroscopy, the most frequent indications were gastrointestinal bleeding, angioectasia, and inflammatory bowel disease, and the final diagnoses were angioectasia and Crohn's disease. This demonstrates that enteroscopy is particularly useful for the study and treatment of small bowel pathologies.