Evaluation and Validation of a New Score to Measure the Severity of Small Bowel Angiodysplasia on Video Capsule Endoscopy.

INTRODUCTION: Angiodysplasias are responsible of 50% of small bowel bleeding. An endoscopic method that allows measuring its severity is not available. AIMS: The aim of the study was to validate a new endoscopic score with VCE to measure the severity of small bowel angiodysplasias (SBAD). METHODS: Four endoscopists independently reviewed VCE videos of 22 patients with SBAD. The score graded 3 variables: A - extent of lesions: E1, located in one half of the intestine and E2, in both halves; B - number of lesions: N1, <5; N2, 5-10; and N3, >10 lesions; C - probability of bleeding: P1, pale red spots; P2, bright red spots; P3, bleeding stigmata; and P4, active bleeding. Capsule Endoscopy Small Bowel Angiodysplasia Activity Index (CESBAI) was calculated as follows: E × 1 + N × 2 + P × 3. Interobserver variability was analyzed by Spearman's correlation and agreement Kappa statistic tests. RESULTS: The mean CESBAI scores by observers were O1= 11.6 ± 4.1; O2 = 11.3 ± 4.8; O3 = 11.1 ± 4.9; and O4 = 11.8 ± 4.2 (p > 0.05). Spearman's correlation values of CESBAI between every 2 observers were from 0.61 to 0.94 (p < 0.001) with a global correlation of 0.73 among all observers. Kappa values of CESBAI between every 2 observers ranged from 0.42 to 0.87 (p < 0.001) with a global agreement of 0.57 among all observers. All evaluators stated that the method was easy to use. CONCLUSIONS: CESBAI is a reliable and reproducible score. Nevertheless, these results must be validated in other studies with larger population before assessing its power for predicting bleeding recurrence.

Síndrome de Heyde / Heyde Syndrome

RESUMEN Introducción: El síndrome de Heyde es la asociación entre estenosis valvular aórtica y sangrado gastrointestinal, por angiodisplasia intestinal. La base fisiopatológica de ese síndrome parece ser una deficiencia adquirida del factor de Von Willebrand, que lleva al sangrado de malformaciones arteriovenosas angiodisplásicas. Las alternativas de tratamiento incluyen la localización de puntos de sangrado y la cauterización, pero tal opción terapéutica está asociada a alta recurrencia. El reemplazo de la válvula parece ofrecer la mejor esperanza de resolución a largo plazo del sangrado y debe ser considerada en la mayoría de las veces. Objetivos: Presentar el caso de un síndrome de Heyde, una causa infrecuente de hemorragia digestiva. Caso clínico: Paciente de 74 años con antecedentes estenosis aórtica y sangrado gastrointestinal debido a angiodisplasia duodenal localizada en la segunda porción de esta, tratada mediante la escleroterapia. Conclusiones: El síndrome de Heyde es una asociación poco frecuente entre una valvulopatía aortica y sangrado digestivo por una angiodisplasia que puede presentarse en cualquier parte del tubo digestivo(AU)

ABSTRACT Introduction: Heyde syndrome is the association between aortic valve stenosis and gastrointestinal bleeding, due to intestinal angiodysplasia. The pathophysiological basis of this syndrome seems to be acquired Von Willebrand factor deficiency, which leads to bleeding from angiodysplastic arteriovenous malformations. Management alternatives include localization of bleeding points and cauterization, but such a therapeutic option is associated with high recurrence. Valve replacement seems to offer the best hope for long-term solving of bleeding and should be considered for most of the cases. Objectives: To present a case of Heyde syndrome, a rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. Clinical case: A 74-year-old patient is presented with a history of aortic stenosis and gastrointestinal bleeding due to duodenal angiodysplasia located in the second portion of it, managed by sclerotherapy. Conclusions: Heyde syndrome is a rare association between aortic valve disease and digestive bleeding due to angiodysplasia that can occur in any part of the digestive tract(AU)

[Jejunal phlebectasia as a cause of massive gastrointestinal haemorrhage]. / Flebectasia yeyunal como causa de hemorragia digestiva media masiva.

Vascular abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract are a common cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. Most of them are located within the reach of the upper endoscopy or colonoscopy, although once discarded, it forces to consider small bowel as the source of bleeding. The successful management of a gastrointestinal bleeding depends mainly on the timely location of the source of bleeding. Nevertheless this task can be difficult when the cause is not within the reach of conventional methods. We present a case of a 21 year-old men in which the diagnosis of bleeding yeyunal phlebectasia was made by the findings of the capsule endoscopy and laparoscopy.

Flebectasia yeyunal como causa de hemorragia digestiva media masiva / Jejunal phlebectasia as a cause of massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage

Las anormalidades vasculares del tracto gastrointestinal son una causa común de sangrado digestivo. La mayoría se localizan al alcance de la endoscopía digestiva alta y/o colonoscopía, una vez descartado ello, obliga a considerar al intestino delgado como causa de la hemorragia. El manejo exitoso de una hemorragia digestiva depende principalmente de la localización oportuna de la fuente del sangrado, sin embargo esta tarea puede ser difícil, cuando la causa no está al alcance de los métodos convencionales. Presentamos el caso de un paciente varón de 21 años cuyo diagnóstico fue una flebectasia yeyunal sangrante, luego de una cuidadosa evaluación de los hallazgos de la cápsula endoscópica y laparoscopía.

Vascular abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract are a common cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. Most of them are located within the reach of the upper endoscopy or colonoscopy, although once discarded, it forces to consider small bowel as the source of bleeding. The successful management of a gastrointestinal bleeding depends mainly on the timely location of the source of bleeding. Nevertheless this task can be difficult when the cause is not within the reach of conventional methods. We present a case of a 21 year-old men in which the diagnosis of bleeding yeyunal phlebectasia was made by the findings of the capsule endoscopy and laparoscopy.

Evaluation of the efficacy of therapeutic endoscopy in gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to angiodysplasias. / Evaluación de la eficacia terapéutica endoscópica en hemorragia digestiva secundaria a angiodisplasias.

INTRODUCTION: Gastrointestinal angiodysplasias are defined as vascular dilations that communicate capillaries and veins in the walls of the digestive tract. The clinical presentation of these lesions varies from chronic occult bleeding to severe gastrointestinal hemorrhage. AIM: The primary aim of our study was to analyze lesion location, the efficacy of therapeutic endoscopy with argon plasma coagulation, and the factors associated with rebleeding in patients with gastrointestinal angiodysplasias. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 32,042 endoscopies was carried out within the time frame of January 2012 and December 2013 at our hospital center. Gastrointestinal angiodysplasia was the diagnosis in 331 of the endoscopies. The procedures included upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, and enteroscopy. RESULTS: The most frequent location of the angiodysplasias was the cecum (49%), followed by the ascending colon (17%) and the sigmoid colon (16%). They were most frequently found in the duodenum (60%) and gastric body (49%) at upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Therapeutic endoscopy was performed in 163 cases (49.8%) and the most predominant methods were fulguration with argon (90%) and combination treatment (argon plasma coagulation and injection sclerotherapy) (6.7%). The macroscopic rebleeding rate after therapeutic endoscopy was 7.4%. Patients that had rebleeding presented with a lower hemoglobin concentration, higher mean age, and the presence of multiple angiodysplasias at endoscopy (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic endoscopy was performed in 49.8% of the patients with angiodysplasias. The macroscopic rebleeding rate after treatment was 7.4%. There were statistically significant differences in the patients with rebleeding in relation to mean age, hemoglobin values, and the presence of multiple angiodysplasias.

Angiodisplasia gástrica / Gastric angiodysplasia

La angiodisplasia es un trastorno vascular poco frecuente, siendo la causa de hemorragias digestivas crónicas o recurrentes que llevan a la realización de estudios frecuentemente negativos. Las localizaciones en colon ascendente y ciego son las mas comunes, mientras que las de estómago e intestino delgado son inhabituales. La etiología es aún desconocida, pero actualmente existen varias teorías que intentan explicar su mecanismo de formación. Las imágenes radiológicas al igual que las endoscópicas son inespecíficas y en el último caso, a veces pueden simular áreas de gastritis o lesiones por traumatismo endoscópico. Dado que las lesiones son generalmente submucosas, el método de estudio ideal es la angiografía. Es mucho mas común en personas añosas, existiendo también la relación con una valvulopatía aórtica, aunque también ha sido descripta en sujetos mas jóvenes. El tratamiento puede ser quirúrgico o por electrocoagulación con una muy baja morbimortalidad. La mayor parte de la literatura mundial de los últimos tres años, está referida fundamentalmente a la localización colónica, dada la gran rareza de la ubicación gástrica.(AU)