Evaluation of occult gastrointestinal bleeding

GI: gastrointestinal.

* Occult bleeding refers to hemoccult-positive stool and/or iron deficiency anemia without visible evidence of bleeding (eg, melena or hematochezia).

¶ Consider evaluation with a side-viewing duodenoscope if there are risk factors for hemobilia or hemosuccus pancreaticus, or a push enteroscopy in patients at risk for an aortoenteric fistula (though if the suspicion for an aortoenteric fistula is high, the evaluation should also include computed tomographic angiography).