SMALL‐BOWEL BIOPSY WITH THE SUCTION BIOPSY TUBE

Abstract

Summary In 1948 a suction gastric biopsy tube was designed in our Unit. In 1956 Shiner, of London, modified this tube for jejunal biopsy. In the present study minor alterations were made to Shiner's tube, and 51 successful biopsies were performed on 46 patients at 74 attempts, fragments of jejunum being obtained in 38 and fragments of duodenum in 13. Eight representative cases and their corresponding biopsy findings are described, the conditions present including atrophic gastritis, pernicious anæmia and subacute combined degeneration of the cord with gastric atrophy, malabsorption with steatorrhœa and Whipple's disease. Pronounced jejunal atrophy was present in two cases of malabsorption, and the villi were distended with P.A.S.‐staining cells in the case of Whipple's disease. No constant major abnormality of the jejunum was found to be associated with atrophic gastritis or gastric atrophy. Our limited experience suggests that gastric atrophy and jejunal atrophy have not a common causal factor.