ABSTRACT
Patients with intestinal failure (IF) suffer from a variety of gastrointestinal pathologies that are best assessed by endoscopic examination and mucosal biopsy. When parenteral feedings are weaned and enteral feedings are advanced, it is common for patients to suffer from occasional setbacks due to feeding intolerance and/or infections. Persistent or recurrent feeding dif—culties should prompt consideration for endoscopic evaluation. Although limited prospective data exist to estimate the role of endoscopic exam, a recent retrospective study suggested that there is a high diagnostic yield of endoscopy. Ching et al.1 performed 61 endoscopies in 27 patients with IF and found gross endoscopic, histologic, or microbiologic abnormalities in 89% (24) of these.
