Balloon Endoscopy
(Balloon Enteroscopy)
Medical Author: Jay W. Marks, MD
Medical Editor: Dennis Lee, MD
Introduction to endoscopy
The use of upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopes has revolutionized the
diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, and
colon (large intestine). The last remaining frontier in the intestines has been
the small intestine. Wireless capsule endoscopy allows physicians to visualize
the inside of the intestines from the esophagus through to the colon, but
capsule endoscopy has limitations, the most notable of which are the inability
to control the capsule's passage and to perform therapy, for example, biopsy and
electrocautery. Although capsule endoscopy is likely to remain an important
diagnostic procedure because of its simplicity, the limitations of capsule
endoscopy have been overcome by the development of balloon endoscopy, also known
as enteroscopy.
What is balloon endoscopy?
There are two types of balloon endoscopy: single balloon and double balloon.
Single balloon endoscopy
For single balloon endoscopy, a 200 cm long flexible,
fiberoptic, endoscope (a hose-like tube one centimeter in diameter with a light
and a camera on the tip) is fitted with an equally long overtube that slides the
full length of the endoscope. On the tip of the overtube is a balloon that can
be blown up and deflated. The balloon when blown up is used
to anchor the overtube within the intestine. While the overtube is anchored, the endoscopy can
be advance further into the small intestine. By withdrawing the overtube the small intestine
can be shortened and straightened to make the passage of the inner endoscope easier. The balloon
may then be deflated so that the overtube can be inserted further and the
endoscope advanced again.The endoscope itself is a standard endoscope with working channels
that allow the intestine to be inflated with air, rinsed with water, or
to guide biopsy or electrocautery instruments to the tip of the endoscope.
Next: Double balloon endoscopy »
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