A case of obscure/occult bleeding in a 39-year old man with a 7-year history of chronic fatigue and iron-deficiency anemia is presented here. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, push enteroscopy, ileocolonoscopies, and a magnetic resonance imaging small-bowel follow-through did not reveal any abnormalities. Multiple inflammatory lesions with fibrin-covered ulcers and petechial bleeding in the area of the lower jejunum and ileum were diagnosed only with capsule endoscopy. One ulcer located near the ileocecal valve was then biopsied during a repeat ileocolonoscopy, and the histology showed signs of Crohn's enteritis. The further treatment approach was changed, with medical treatment being initiated and intraoperative enteroscopy being averted. Wireless capsule endoscopy clarified the cause of the obscure/occult bleeding in this patient and contributed to the diagnosis and endoscopic imaging of an isolated Crohn's enteritis, which is the cause of bleeding in approximately 10 - 20 % of cases of occult bleeding.
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J. F. Riemann, M.D.
Dept. of Internal Medicine C · Ludwigshafen Hospital
Bremserstrasse 79 · 67063 Ludwigshafen · Germany
Fax: + 49-621503-4114
Email: MedCLu@t-online.de
