Double balloon enteroscopy: a useful tool for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the pancreaticobiliary system

Diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in the biliary and pancreatic system in the previously operated patient by conventional endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography (ERCP) are difficult and, depending on the surgical procedure, in many cases unsuccessful. We describe our experience of ERCP performed with a double balloon enteroscope (DBE) as an alternative examination technique for these patients.

In a retrospective analysis of all DBE procedures at our department between November 2004 and June 2007, 11 patients were identified with various anatomic variations in whom ERCP was performed using a DBE.

In 72% of the patients, previous conventional ERCP examinations failed (8/11). In these patients, DBE-ERCP was successful in 63%. The overall success rate of DBE-ERCP in all patients was 64% (7/11 patients). In those patients, interventions such as papillotomy, calculus extractions, as well as stent placement could be performed even though tools for DBE-ERCP are still very limited. Despite most of the DBE-ERCPs having included therapeutic interventions, no major complications occurred in our case series and minor side effects were restricted to meteorism and mild to moderate abdominal pain.

DBE-ERCP is an alternative method for diagnostic as well as therapeutic interventions in the biliary as well pancreatic system in the operated patient. However, it should be limited to selected patients, e.g., with contraindications for PTC, as it is a time-consuming as well as a cost-intensive procedure.