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Balloon Endoscopy Center - Duluth, MN

Duluth Gastroenterologist Doctors for Balloon Endoscopy

Type of Physician: Gastroenterologist

What is a Gastroenterologist?

A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on the stomach, intestines, colon, liver, and gallbladder (digestive organs). The gastroenterologist treats conditions such as abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, cancer, and jaundice and they consult with surgeons when abdominal operations are indicated.

Specialty: Gastroenterology

Common Name: GI Doctor

Gastroenterologist Doctors in Duluth *

Duluth Clinic
Johannes Aas
400 E 3rd St
Duluth, MN 55805
(218) 722-8364

Duluth Clinic
Johan S Bakken
400 E 3rd St
Duluth, MN 55805
(218) 722-8364

Duluth Clinic
Robert V Erickson
400 E 3rd St
Duluth, MN 55805
(218) 722-8364

Duluth Clinic
Teresa Smith
400 E 3rd St
Duluth, MN 55805
(218) 722-8364

Duluth Clinic
Steven J Squillace
400 E 3rd St
Duluth, MN 55805
(218) 722-8364

Duluth Clinic
Michael D VanNorstrand
400 E 3rd St
Duluth, MN 55805
(218) 722-8364

St Luke's Hospital and Regional Trauma Center
Agata Bednarz
915 E 1st St
Duluth, MN 55805
(218) 249-5555

Northland Gastroenterlogy PA
Daniel McKee
1420 London Rd
STE 202
Duluth, MN 55805
(218) 724-3411

Duluth, Minnesota

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Balloon Endoscopy

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 electrocau...

Recommended Reading Related to Balloon Endoscopy

Push Endoscopy »

What is endoscopy?

Standard upper gastrointestinal endoscopes (120 cm flexible tubes with a light and camera on their tips) are capable of reaching only a foot or so past the stomach into the small intestine. If abnormalities are located within this area, these endoscopes have working channels through which surgical instruments can be passed so that diagnostic and therapeutic procedures such as biopsy and electrocautery can be done.

Many abnormalities of the small bowel, however, lie further along the small intestine beyond the reach of the standard upper gastrointestinal endoscopes. Sometimes a colonoscope, similar to the upper gastrointestinal endoscope but 180 cm in length, can be used to reach a little further into the small intestine, but the additional reach of colonoscopes is limited.

It is not the length of the endoscope that is the most important problem in reaching further into the small intestine. The problem is ...

Emergency Contact for Duluth

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Duluth Hospitals *

Miller-Dwan Medical Center
502 E Second St
Duluth, MN 55805
(218)727-8762

St Mary's Duluth Clinic Health System
407 E Third St
Duluth, MN 55805
(218)786-4000

St Luke's Hospital
915 E 1st St
Duluth, MN 55805
(218)249-5555

St Mary's Hospital Superior
3500 Tower Ave
Superior, WI 54880
(715)395-5400

Cloquet Community Memorial Hospital
512 Skyline Blvd
Cloquet, MN 55720
(218)879-4641

Lake View Memorial Hospital
325 11th Ave
Two Harbors, MN 55616
(218)834-7300

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