NCT02609100

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

Video Capsule Endoscopy Versus Colonoscopy in Patients With Melena and Negative Upper Endoscopy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Terminated
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 4 (actual)
• Sponsor: Washington University School of Medicine · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

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.

Conditions

• Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Video Capsule Endoscopy	Video Capsule Endoscopy allows for imaging of the small intestine between the distant duodeno-jejunal junction, which is beyond the reach of upper GI endoscopy and the terminal ileum and is similarly beyond the reach of colonoscopy. It is of greatest use in identifying points of bleeding and ulcers.
PROCEDURE	Colonoscopy	The colonoscopy helps find ulcers, tumors, and areas of inflammation or bleeding in the large intestine.
DEVICE	1.0 X 2.5 cm 'pill' containing a camera

Timeline

• Start date: 2015-11-01
• Primary completion: 2016-12-06
• Completion: 2016-12-06
• First posted: 2015-11-20
• Last updated: 2018-06-20
• Results posted: 2018-06-20

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States