Endoscopic Diagnosis of Upper Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage

Abstract

Records of 186 patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding seen at Massachusetts General Hospital over a two year period were studied to determine the accuracy of diagnostic methods employed and to evaluate results of gastrointestinal endoscopy. Of 177 endoscopic diagnoses, 152 were correct, 11 falsely negative, and 14 incorrect. Of 191 x-ray diagnoses, 89 were correct, 34 falsely negative, and 68 incorrect. The combination of x-ray and endoscopy yielded correct preoperative diagnoses in 97 per cent of 86 patients operated on.

Results obtained in this series indicate that endoscopy is a safe and accurate diagnostic method in upper gastrointestinal bleeding.