Experience with Duodenofiberscopes

Abstract

The endoscopic experience in a district general hospital is described in two consecutive six monthly periods during the first of which 112 patients were examined using the Olympus Duodenofiberscope model JF-B and during the the second of which 148 patients were examined using this instrument in conjunction with the Olympus Gastrointestinal Fiberscope model GIF-D. The cases examined were a group of dyspeptic patients (patients with suspected peptic ulceration with chronic anaemia, weight loss or suspected carcinoma), a group of patients with gastrointestinal bleeding and a group of patients who had undergone gastric surgery. In this total of 260 patients the duodenal bulb was examined in 169 cases. During the period when both instruments were available there was a preference for using the end viewing Olympus GIF but for a complete examination both instruments are required in a very significant proportion of cases. During the period when both instruments were available, examination of the duodenal bulb was possible in every case apart from two in which there was organic obstruction. In general with either instrument adequate histological material was obtained.

When the endoscopic and radiological results are compared it is seen that the radiologist and the endoscopist agree in over half of the cases examined. However, in the others the endoscopist plays an important part in establishing the presence of radiologically undetected or undetectable disease and in confirming or excluding radiologically doubtful disease.