Video Capsule Endoscopy Versus Colonoscopy in Patients With Melena and Negative Upper Endoscopy

Plain-language summary

Acute gastrointestinal bleeding is a common medical problem. When patients with gastrointestinal bleeding present with melena (dark, tarry stool) the blood loss is usually originating in the upper gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach or duodenum) and first step in evaluating the patient is an upper endoscopy; which allows direct visualization of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum. However, the cause of bleeding is located in the small bowel or colon in 20-30% of patients who present with melena. Traditionally colonoscopy has been the next test preformed if upper endoscopy does not identify the cause of melena/ gastrointestinal bleeding, however less than 25% of patients who present with melena have bleeding originating in the colon, and the remainder of patients have bleeding originating in the small intestine, which can only be fully evaluated with video capsule endoscopy (a pill camera which is swallowed and takes pictures while it travels thought the small bowel and colon). Currently patients only undergo video capsule endoscopy if colonoscopy does not identify the cause of bleeding. The investigators are preforming a randomized study which seeks to determine if colonoscopy or video capsule endoscopy is a better way to identify the cause of gastrointestinal bleeding in patients who present with melena and have normal findings on upper endoscopy. To do this the investigators will enroll patients who present with melena prior to their upper endoscopy and if the cause of bleeding is not identified at that time patients will be randomized to video capsule endoscopy (with the capsule being placed into the small bowel during the upper endoscopy) or next day colonoscopy.

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