Double balloon enteroscopy: a 3-year experience at a tertiary care center

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Endoscopy
• Small Bowel Imaging

Background:

• Double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) is an advanced endoscopic technique for examining the small intestine.
• Evaluation of DBE's clinical utility, including its indications, diagnostic yield, and safety profile, is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the indications, diagnostic yield, therapeutic interventions, complications, and safety of double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) in routine clinical practice.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of DBE in managing small bowel diseases.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of medical records from 118 patients who underwent 139 DBE procedures between October 2007 and January 2010.
• Data collected included patient demographics, indications, prior investigations, DBE findings, interventions, complications, and pathology reports.

Main Results:

• DBE was performed via oral, anal, or combined approaches. Panenteroscopy was successful in 87.5% of attempted cases.
• The most frequent indication was obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (28.8%). DBE provided diagnostic and/or therapeutic contribution in 53.4% of patients.
• Detected pathologies included polyps (12.7%), inflammation (10.7%), and vascular lesions (3.4%). Complications occurred in 3.4% of cases, with no major events.

Conclusions:

• Double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) is a valuable, safe, and well-tolerated endoscopic method for diagnosing and managing small bowel pathologies.
• DBE demonstrates significant diagnostic and therapeutic impact, enhancing the management of various small bowel diseases.