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Gastrointestinal bleeding from the small bowel is often difficult to manage. When upper endoscopy and colonoscopy are negative, the optimal management approach is unclear. Endoscopy of the small bowel can be performed using a standard enteroscope, a single- or double-balloon enteroscope, or capsule endoscopy. Angiography might identify abnormal vessels or the source of more-vigorous bleeding. Because the bleeding often ceases spontaneously, careful observation without further diagnostic testing is another option.
To determine the most cost-effective management approach to obscure GI bleeding, investigators performed an analysis comparing the outcomes of observation (no therapy), enteroscopy, double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE), intraoperative e…