Angiography in gastrointestinal bleeding.

160 selective visceral angiograms were performed in 145 patients with gastrointestinal bleeding. In 52 studies done as emergency procedures (group A) 87% were positive, and in 108 elective procedures (group B) 74% were positive. The commonest lesion demonstrated in group B was angiodysplasia (43 patients) and most of these cases had previously undergone various investigations which had proved to be negative. Angiodysplasia is clearly an important cause of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding that may go unrecognised for many years. In addition to its diagnostic value angiography also proved extremely successful as a therapeutic measure in appropriate cases. Embolisation was performed in 36% of group A patients with positive angiograms, and in 10% of corresponding group B patients.