Aim: To investigate the diagnostic and therapeutic value of laparoscopy in patients with massive small intestinal bleeding.
Methods: Twenty-two patients with massive small intestinal bleeding and hemodynamic alteration underwent laparoscopic laparotomy in our unit from December 2002 to April 2005. Post pathologic sites were found, laparoscopy- or laparoscopy-assisted part small intestinal resection including pathologic intestinal site and enteroanastomosis was performed in all these patients.
Results: The bleeding sites were successfully detected by laparoscopy in all these 22 patients. Massive small intestinal bleeding was caused by jejunum benign stromal tumor in 8 cases, by jejunum potential malignant stromal tumor in 5 cases, by jejunum malignant stromal tumor in 1 case, by Mechel's diverticulum in 5 cases, by small intestinal vascular deformity in 2 cases, and by ectopic pancreas in 1 case. A total of 16 patients underwent laparoscopy-assisted enterectomy and enteroanastomosis of small intestine covering the diseased segment and 6 patients received enterectomy of the diseased segment under laparoscope. No surgical complications occurred and the outcome was satisfactory.
Conclusion: Laparoscopy in diagnosis and treatment of massive small intestinal bleeding is noninvasive with less pain, short recovery time and definite therapeutic efficacy.