Balloon-assisted Enteroscopy In Patients Research Articles

Comparison of an Endoscopic Scoring System and the Simplified Magnetic Resonance Index of Activity in Patients with Small Bowel Crohn's Disease.

The newly derived simplified magnetic resonance index of activity (MARIAs) has not been verified in comparison to balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) for patients with small bowel Crohn's disease (CD). We studied the correlation of MARIAs with simple endoscopic scores for CD (SES-CD) of the ileum based on magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) and BAE in patients with small bowel CD. Fifty patients with small bowel CD who underwent BAE and MRE concurrently within 3 months from September 2020 to June 2021 were enrolled in the study. The primary outcome was the correlation between the active score of ileal SES-CD (ileal SES-CDa)/ileal SES-CD and MARIAs based on BAE and MRE. The cutoff value for MARIAs identifying endoscopically active/severe disease, defined as ileal SES-CDa/ileal SES-CD of 5/7 or more, was analyzed. Ileal SES-CDa/ileal SES-CD and MARIAs showed strong associations (R=0.76, p<0.001; R=0.78, p<0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of MARIAs for ileal SES-CDa ≥5 and ileal SES-CD ≥7 was 0.92 (95% confidence interval, 0.88 to 0.97) and 0.92 (95% confidence interval, 0.87 to 0.97). The cutoff value of MARIAs for detecting active/severe disease was 3. A MARIAs index value of ≥3 identified ileal SES-CDa ≥5 with a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 87% and detected ileal SES-CD ≥7 with a sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 86%. This study validated the applicability of MARIAs compared to BAE-based ileal SES-CDa/SES-CD.

Performance of Balloon-Assisted Enteroscopy for Non-ERCP Indications in Patients with Surgically Altered Gastrointestinal Anatomy.

Surgically altered gastrointestinal (GI) tract anatomy hinders deep enteroscopy. While enteroscopy-assisted endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients with altered GI anatomy has been heavily investigated, the role of non-ERCP balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) has yet to be fully elucidated.Please check and confirm the author names and initials are correct. Also, kindly confirm the details in the metadata are correct.I have checked all you asked and have no correction. Thank you. A multicenter retrospective study of non-ERCP BAEs in patients with surgically altered GI tract anatomy at two tertiary academic hospitals was performed from January 2006 to December 2020. Altered GI tract anatomy was defined by surgical reconstruction affecting the length, angle, or overall trajectory of the endoscope during the intended approach. The main outcome measurements included technical success rate, diagnostic and therapeutic yields, and complication rate.Please check the edit made in the title of the article and correct if necessary.No more correction. Thank you. A total of 68 patients with surgically altered GI tract anatomy underwent 56 antegrade and 24 retrograde non-ERCP BAE procedures. The technical success rate was 86.2% in both, including 83.9% via antegrade approach and 91.7% via retrograde approach. Antegrade approach in Roux-en-Y anatomy was associated with the lowest success rate of 77.8%, whereas retrograde approach in patients with colon resection resulted in the highest rate of 100%. The diagnostic and therapeutic yields of non-ERCP BAE were 79.4% and 82.9%, respectively. The diagnostic yields varied according to the procedural indications. The major complication was luminal perforation in one case (1.3%). Non-ERCP BAE is effective and safe via both antegrade and retrograde approaches with a high technical success rate and diagnostic and therapeutic yields in patients with surgically altered GI tract anatomy.

Factors Affecting Route Selection of Balloon-Assisted Enteroscopy in Patients with Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A KASID Multicenter Study.

Balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) is an important diagnostic modality for ongoing obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB). However, it is difficult to determine the optimal insertion route. We retrospectively analyzed the records of patients with OGIB contained in a multicenter enteroscopy database of 1108 balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) procedures (875 patients) to find out factors affecting BAE route selection in patients with OGIB. A total of 603 BAE procedures in 512 patients were investigated: there were 392 (65.0%) bidirectional and 211 (35.0%) unidirectional procedures. Overt OGIB was more frequent in the latter group (p = 0.024). Computed tomography (CT) was more frequently performed in the unidirectional group (p < 0.001). Capsule endoscopy and a small bowel barium study were performed more frequently in the bidirectional group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.039, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that occult OGIB, capsule endoscopy and a small bowel barium study were independently associated with use of the bidirectional approach (p = 0.011, p = 0.013 and p = 0.046, respectively). Conversely, CT was associated with use of the unidirectional approach (p < 0.001). Conclusion: CT can aid the selection of an optimal insertion route in OGIB patients. However, capsule endoscopy and small bowel barium study are unhelpful.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with balloon-assisted enteroscopy in patients with Roux-en-Y anastomosis and Whipple operation.

In patients with Roux-en-Y (R-Y) anastomosis (including hepaticojejunostomy and R-Y gastric bypass) and Whipple operation, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) can be challenging. We retrospective analyses our experience with ERCP using balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) (BAE-ERCP) in patients with R-Y anastomosis and Whipple operation.ERCP was performed in 15 patients (4 pancreaticoduodenectomy and 10cholangiojejunostomy and 1 Subtotal gastrectomy with R-Y reconstruction; age ranging from 4 to 63 years) with BAE. Double- and single-balloon enteroscopy was applied in 5 and 10 patients, respectively.Bile duct cannulation was successful in 13 of 15 cases (86.7%), including simple stenosis of the anastomotic stoma (n = 2), intrahepatic bile duct stones (n = 10), and pancreatic cancer (n = 1). Cannulation failed because the guidewire could not pass through the anastomotic stenosis in 1 patient and because the endoscope could not enter the acute angle of the anastomosis of the afferent limb in the other patient. Adverse events included jaundice (n = 1) and perforation (n = 1), which were successfully treated by conservative therapy.ERCP with BAE in patients with R-Y anastomosis and Whipple operation is safe and useful but has unique complications. The success rate is lower than that of conventional ERCP.

Utility and safety of balloon-assisted enteroscopy in patients with left ventricular assist devices: a retrospective multicenter study

Objective and study aims Patients with left-ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have an increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, especially from the small bowel, often necessitating evaluation with balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE). Our study aimed to assess the periprocedural safety and utility of BAE for gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with LVADs. Patients and methods This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study of adults with LVADs who underwent BAE between January 2007 to December 2018. Results Thirty-four patients underwent a total of 46 BAEs (9 were single-balloon enteroscopies [SBEs] and 37 were double-balloon enteroscopies [DBEs]). Mean age of patients was 66.4 ± 8.3 years. Patients tolerated anesthesia well, without complications. There were no complications from the BAE itself. One patient required repeat BAE due to a progressive drop in hemoglobin and another patient developed paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. One patient died within 72 hours of the procedure due to worsening of LVAD thrombosis. Diagnostic yields were 69.6 % for all procedures, 73.0 % for DBE and 55.6 % for SBE ( P = 0.309). Therapeutic yields were 67.4 % overall: 73.0 % for DBE and 44.4 % for SBE ( P = 0.102). In those that presented with overt gastrointestinal bleeding, DBE had a higher diagnostic yield compared to SBE (84.2 % vs. 42.9 %; P = 0.057) and a significantly higher therapeutic yield (84.2 % vs. 28.6 %; p = 0.014). Conclusions This is the largest multicenter study of patients with LVADs who underwent DBE. BAE appears to be a safe and useful modality for the evaluation of gastrointestinal bleeding in these patients.

Is endoscopic treatment of small bowel strictures effective and safe in patients with Crohn's disease?

there is very little scientific evidence about the efficacy of endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) performed with balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) for the treatment of small bowel strictures (SBS) in Crohn's disease (CD). to evaluate the efficacy and safety of EBD using BAE in patients with CD and SBS. a retrospective observational study was performed in a tertiary care medical center in patients with CD and SBS, evaluated by CT enterography or MRI enterography. from 2009 to 2019, 205 endoscopic dilations were performed in 80 patients with CD. 17 (21.25 %) had only SBS and 70.6 % were male with a median age of 42.2 (±14.4) years. The mean follow-up was 37.8 ±28.7 months. A total of 39 dilations were performed, 94.1 % were native and less than 5cm long, all strictures were ulcerated. The overall technical success was 82.4 % and clinical success was 88.2 %. During follow-up, 23.5 % of patients required surgery and 29.4 % were re-dilated. The long-term efficacy was 76.5 % and no severe adverse events (AE) were observed. No factors were identified to predict the need for surgery after dilation. SBS can be safely and effectively treated with EBD using BAE, thus reducing the need for surgery in the long term.

Balloon‐assisted enteroscopy for symptomatic Meckel's diverticulum: High diagnostic accuracy and possible endoscopic intervention

Meckel's diverticulum (MD) is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract, with reported prevalence of 1% to 3% and male predominance. As MD is usually asymptomatic and discovered incidentally, the true prevalence and characteristics are still unclear. Most MD patients are identified with the onset of complications, including bleeding, intussusception, diverticulitis, or bowel obstruction. Bleeding is the most common complication.1 MD is also the most common cause of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding in children and young adults. Diagnosis is challenging because no standardized diagnostic criteria are available. Before the introduction of balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE), the diagnostic accuracy of conventional modalities (computed tomography, small-bowel follow-through, angiography, or Technetium-99 m pertechnetate scintigraphy) was limited. Technetium-99 m pertechnetate scintigraphy (Meckel's scan) is a well-established tool for the diagnosis of MD, with high accuracy in children.2, 3 However, accuracy is not as high (less than 50%) in adults,4 because some MD patients may have little or no ectopic gastric tissue within the diverticulum. Capsule endoscopy is recommended as a first-line diagnostic tool for suspected small bowel bleeding in patients without bowel stenosis, but it has a limited role in MD because the bowel lumen cannot be inflated and good visibility of the distal small bowel is required.5 The development of BAE (including single-balloon and double-balloon enteroscopy) has provided a new diagnostic tool with high accuracy for MD.6 BAE also provides the possibility of treatment. Selected MD patients have reportedly been treated with endoscopic intervention.7-9 One recent study showed that BAE has the highest accuracy for diagnosis of a bleeding MD in adults, with diagnostic accuracy higher than that of a Meckel's scan (85.0% vs 21.4%, P < 0.001).5 When MD is suspected but conventional modalities provide no definite conclusion, retrograde BAE could be an alternative tool for confirmation of the diagnosis with high accuracy. Although the accuracy of BAE in patients with MD is high, some challenges persist in clinical practice. First, BAE is an invasive procedure and requires bowel preparation. Second, MD may be overlooked when the orifice is small or hidden by a mucosal-fold. To date, reports of BAE for MD have mostly employed double-balloon enteroscopy, while single-balloon enteroscopy has rarely been reported.10, 11 In this issue of the journal, Wei et al reported the clinical experience with single-balloon enteroscopy for diagnosis of adult MD in a single medical center in Taiwan. Compared to double-balloon enteroscopy, single-balloon enteroscopy is easier to perform and less time-consuming, and a previous meta-analysis found that the diagnostic rate is similar in patients with small bowel diseases.12 This technique could be considered as a first-line diagnostic tool in selected cases with strongly suspected MD. However, a conventional noninvasive modality (especially a Meckel's scan) should be performed first in children and young adults because retrograde BAE is a technical and invasive procedure and not available at some medical institutions. For symptomatic MD, surgical intervention is the standard method of treatment, and can prevent recurrent complications. BAE can be used for endoscopic intervention in selected patients with MD. Some cases with inverted MD were successfully resected with BAE.7, 8 As inverted MD can resemble a pedunculated polyp, careful manipulation during endoscopic intervention is necessary to prevent complications.11 Wei et al reported that some cases did not have recurrent bleeding on follow-up after endoscopic hemoclipping, but the possibility still exists because of the retained MD. Close follow-up is recommended. In conclusion, retrograde BAE could provide a reliable and useful modality with high diagnostic accuracy and the possibility of endoscopic intervention in selected patients with MD. The author declares no conflict of interest. The author transfers all copyright ownership of the above manuscript to the journal in the event the work is published.

The Use of Balloon-assisted Enteroscopy at a Large Volume Centre: A Retrospective Analysis

ObjectivesBalloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) is increasingly used for the evaluation of small bowel disorders. We quantified local diagnostic and therapeutic yields of BAE in patients with suspected small bowel diseases.MethodsAdult patients undergoing BAE between January 2010 and July 2015 at McGill University Health Centre were included. Procedures were identified using a prospectively maintained database. Patients were excluded if procedure report was unavailable. Electronic medical records were reviewed. Analyses were restricted to patients who did not have a previous BAE.ResultsBAE was performed in 453 patients, including 421 anterograde cases. Patients had a mean age of 61.0 ± 17.5 years. Most common indications for referral were obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) (n=207, 45.7%), abnormal imaging (n=88, 19.4%), suspected small bowel neoplasia (SBN) (n=39, 8.6%) and Crohn’s disease (CD) (n=31, 6.8%). A diagnosis was established in 216 procedures (47.7%). A pre-endoscopic indication of CD (odds ratio [OR]: 3.78; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 1.60–8.90), OGIB (OR: 3.69, 95% CI, 2.03–6.71), suspected SBN (OR: 2.45; 95% CI, 1.06–5.65) and previous VCE (OR: 9.33; 95% CI, 3.24–26.90) were associated with abnormal findings. A therapeutic procedure was performed in 126 cases (28.3%). OGIB (OR: 7.00; 95% CI, 3.83–12.81), previous video capsule endoscopy (VCE) (OR: 7.86; 95% CI, 2.93–21.04) and suspected SBN (OR: 6.30; 95% CI, 2.58–21.04) were associated with performance of a therapeutic intervention. Complication rate was 1.6%, with bleeding in seven cases and one perforation.ConclusionsIn carefully selected patients, such as those with OGIB, Crohn’s disease and previous VCE, BAE was a safe procedure that led to the identification of abnormal findings and therapeutic interventions.

Hypoxia-induced intestinal barrier changes in balloon-assisted enteroscopy.

Balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) is an emerging standard procedure by utilizing distensible balloons to facilitate deep endoscopy in the small and large intestine. Sporadic cases of bacteraemia were found after BAE. Balloon distension by BAE caused gut tissue hypoxia. The impact of balloon distension-induced hypoxia on intestinal barriers remains unclear. Murine models of BAE by colonic balloon distension showed that short- and long-term hypoxia evoked opposite effects on epithelial tight junctions (TJs). Short-term hypoxia fortified TJ integrity, whereas long-term hypoxia caused damage to barrier function. Our data showed for the first time the molecular mechanisms and signalling pathways of epithelial barrier fortification and TJ reorganization by short-term hypoxia for the maintenance of gut homeostasis. The findings suggest avoiding prolonged balloon distension during BAE to reduce the risk of hypoxia-induced gut barrier dysfunction. Balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) is an emerging standard procedure that uses distensible balloons to facilitate deep endoscopy. Intestines are known to harbour an abundant microflora. Whether balloon distension causes perturbation of blood flow and gut barrier dysfunction, and elicits risk of bacterial translocation remains unknown. Our aims were to (1) conduct a prospective study to gather microbiological and molecular evidence of bacterial translocation by BAE in patients, (2) establish a murine model of colonic balloon distension to investigate tissue hypoxia and intestinal barrier, and (3) assess the effect of short- and long-term hypoxia on epithelial permeability using cell lines. Thirteen patients were enrolled for BAE procedures, and blood samples were obtained before and after BAE for paired comparison. Four of the 13 patients (30.8%) had positive bacterial DNA in blood after BAE. Post-BAE endotoxaemia was higher than the pre-BAE level. Nevertheless, no clinical symptom of sepsis or fever was reported. To mimic clinical BAE, mice were subjected to colonic balloon distension. Local tissue hypoxia was observed during balloon inflation, and reoxygenation after deflation. A trend of increased gut permeability was seen after long-term distension, whereas a significant reduction of permeability was observed by short-term distension in the proximal colon. Human colonic epithelial Caco-2 cells exposed to hypoxia for 5-20min exhibited increased tight junctional assembly, while those exposed to longer hypoxia displayed barrier disruption. In conclusion, sporadic cases of bacteraemia were found after BAE, without septic symptoms. Short-term hypoxia by balloon distension yielded a protective effect whereas long-term hypoxia caused damage to the gut barrier.

Clinical outcome after enteroscopy for small bowel angioectasia bleeding: A Korean Associateion for the Study of Intestinal Disease (KASID) multiceter study.

Angioectasias are the most common sources of bleeding in the small bowel. They can be treated using balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE). This study aimed to identify the rebleeding rate and associated factors after BAE in patients with small bowel angioectasia bleeding. We retrospectively analyzed the records of patients with bleeding due to small bowel vascular lesion in a multicenter enteroscopy database including 1108 BAEs. Finally, in rebleeding analysis, we analyzed 66 patients with angioectasia on the basis of the Yano-Yamamoto classification. Patients who had undergone endotherapy (ET) were divided into ET (n = 45) and non-ET (n = 21) groups. Rebleeding was defined as evidence of bleeding at least 30 days after BAE. Fifty-three patients (80.4%) underwent only one-side enteroscopy. The most common ET was argon plasma coagulation (87.2%). During a mean follow-up duration of 24.5 months, ET and non-ET groups had rebleeding rates of 15.6% and 38.1% (P = 0.059), respectively. Median rebleeding time of ET and non-ET groups was 32.5 and 62 months, respectively. Liver cirrhosis (LC), low platelet count (< 105 /μL), and transfusions were the rebleeding-associated factors in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, the presence of LC (HR 4.064, 95% CI 1.098-15.045; P = 0.036) was the only independent rebleeding-associated risk factor. ET using BAE did not significantly affect the rebleeding rate in patients with small bowel angioectasia bleeding. An independent rebleeding risk factor was the presence of LC. Regardless of ET, careful long-term follow-up may be needed, especially in LC patients with small bowel angioectasia bleeding.

Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Capsule or Balloon?

See “Roles of Capsule Endoscopy and Single-balloon Enteroscopy in Diagnosing Unexplained Gastrointestinal Bleeding” by Shohei Ooka, Kiyonori Kobayashi, Kana Kawagishi, et al., on page 56-60 Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) is defined as overt or obscure gastrointestinal bleeding of unknown origin despite an initial endoscopic evaluation including colonoscopy and esophagogastroduodenoscopy. The majority of patients with OGIB have a bleeding source in the small intestine. In past decades, the evaluation of the small bowel was extremely limited because of difficult intubation using conventional endoscopes. However, this limitation has been overcome by technical advances including capsule endoscopy (CE), balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE), and computed tomography or magnetic resonance enterography. The main strength of CE is noninvasive exploration of the entire small bowel. Complete small bowel evaluation can be performed in 79% to 90% of patients, and the diagnostic yield in patients with suspected small bowel bleeding is 38% to 83% [1]. BAE is distinguished by its diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities. Double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) was described first and single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE) followed. The basic techniques and mechanisms of SBE are similar to those of DBE. Although DBE appeared to be superior to SBE in complete small bowel evaluation, diagnostic yield, ability to treat, and complication rates are similar between DBE and SBE [2]. In this issue of Clinical Endoscopy, Ooka et al. [3] reported that the rate of positive findings for OGIB was significantly higher with SBE (73.6%) than with CE (47.5%), and SBE may be more appropriate for overt OGIB. However, caution is required in the interpretation of the results of this report. CE was performed before SBE in 28.5% of the SBE group in this study. CE is useful for screening before performing BAE in patients with OGIB, and CE before BAE is known to increase the diagnostic and therapeutic yields [4]. In this study, CE might have improved the diagnostic yield in the SBE group, although CE was performed in a part of the SBE group. CE can also guide the insertion route of BAE. An oral approach is usually preferred when a lesion is located within the proximal two-thirds of the small bowel. In this issue of Clinical Endoscopy, it did not appear that a bidirectional approach was tried, because SBE was performed in 91 patients and the oral and anal approaches in 43 and 48, respectively. When an oral or anal approach fails to detect significant findings or reach the targeted lesion, the other route can be tried in practice. A 73.6% diagnostic yield by SBE in patients with OGIB is relatively surprising, even though only one route was tried in all cases. Diagnostic yield of CE and BAE for patients with overt bleeding is higher than that for patients with occult bleeding, and the diagnostic yield for patients with ongoing overt bleeding is higher than that for patients with previous overt bleeding. In Ooka’s study [3], the percentage of patients with overt bleeding was higher in the SBE group than in the CE group (80.8% vs. 58.4%), and ongoing overt bleeding was also more frequent (100.0% vs. 90.9%) in the SBE group. The results might have changed if the authors performed multivariate analyses according to the amount and timing of bleeding. Actually, CE and BAE are not competitive, but complementary. According to the American College of Gastroenterology guidelines, CE should be considered a first-line procedure for suspected small bowel bleeding, and BAE should be attempted if a small bowel lesion is strongly suspected based on clinical presentation and abnormal CE results [5]. However, the results of Ooka’s study do not seem to be sufficient to change current diagnostic guidelines for small bowel bleeding.

Su1670 Efficacy and Safety of Endoscopic Papillary Large-Balloon Dilatation for Postoperative Intestinal Common Bile Duct Stone by Using Double Balloon-ERCP

Endoscopic papillary large balloon dilatation (EPLBD) combined with limited endoscopic sphinteroctomy (EST) have recently been reported to be effective and safe for removal of common bile duct stones. However, there have been few reports of EPLBD treatment using balloon-assisted enteroscopy in patients with post-operative intestine.

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography with Balloon-Assisted Enteroscope in Patients with Surgically Altered Upper GI Anatomy

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is technically more challenging in patients with postsurgical anatomy such as Billroth II anastomosis and Roux-en-Y anastomosis, frequently mandating an operative intervention. Currently, ERCP using balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) has become the main approach in patients with complex postoperative anatomy. This article presents the technical aspects of performing ERCP with BAE in patients presenting with complex postsurgical anatomy having biliary problems. ERCP using BAE is feasible in patients with complex postsurgical anatomy, permitting diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in 80% of patients. This article is part of an expert video encyclopedia.

Patient burden and patient preference: Comparing magnetic resonance enteroclysis, capsule endoscopy and balloon‐assisted enteroscopy

We aimed to prospectively determine patient burden and patient preference for magnetic resonance enteroclysis, capsule endoscopy and balloon-assisted enteroscopy in patients with suspected or known Crohn's disease (CD) or occult gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB). Consecutive consenting patients with CD or OGIB underwent magnetic resonance enteroclysis, capsule endoscopy and balloon-assisted enteroscopy. Capsule endoscopy was only performed if magnetic resonance enteroclysis showed no high-grade small bowel stenosis. Patient preference and burden was evaluated by means of standardized questionnaires at five moments in time. From January 2007 until March 2009, 76 patients were included (M/F 31/45; mean age 46.9 years; range 20.0-78.4 years): 38 patients with OGIB and 38 with suspected or known CD. Seventeen patients did not undergo capsule endoscopy because of high-grade stenosis. Ninety-five percent (344/363) of the questionnaires were suitable for evaluation. Capsule endoscopy was significantly favored over magnetic resonance enteroclysis and balloon-assisted enteroscopy with respect to bowel preparation, swallowing of the capsule (compared to insertion of the tube/scope), burden of the entire examination, duration and accordance with the pre-study information. Capsule endoscopy and magnetic resonance enteroclysis were significantly preferred over balloon-assisted enteroscopy for clarity of explanation of the examination, and magnetic resonance enteroclysis was significantly preferred over balloon-assisted enteroscopy for bowel preparation, painfulness and burden of the entire examination. Balloon-assisted enteroscopy was significantly favored over magnetic resonance enteroclysis for insertion of the scope and procedure duration. Pre- and post-study the order of preference was capsule endoscopy, magnetic resonance enteroclysis and balloon-assisted enteroscopy. Capsule endoscopy was preferred to magnetic resonance enteroclysis and balloon-assisted enteroscopy; it also had the lowest burden. Magnetic resonance enteroclysis was preferred over balloon-assisted enteroscopy for clarity of explanation of the examination, bowel preparation, painfulness and burden of the entire examination, and balloon-assisted enteroscopy over magnetic resonance enteroclysis for scope insertion and study duration.

Balloon-assisted enteroscopy in patients with surgically altered anatomy: a liver transplant center experience (with video)

Balloon-assisted enteroscopy in patients with surgically altered anatomy: a liver transplant center experience (with video)

Comparison of magnetic resonance enteroclysis and capsule endoscopy with balloon-assisted enteroscopy in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding

New modalities are available for visualization of the small bowel in patients with possible obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB), but their performance requires further comparison. This study compared the diagnostic yield of magnetic resonance enteroclysis (MRE) and capsule endoscopy in patients with OGIB, using balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) as the reference standard. Consecutive consenting patients who were referred for evaluation of OGIB were prospectively included. Patients underwent MRE followed by capsule endoscopy and BAE. Patients with high grade stenosis at MRE did not undergo capsule endoscopy. The reference standard was BAE findings in visualized small-bowel segments and expert panel consensus for segments not visualized during BAE. Over a period of 26 months, 38 patients were included (20 female [53 %]; mean age 58 years, range 28 - 75 years). Four patients (11 %) did not undergo capsule endoscopy due to high grade small-bowel stenosis at MRE (n = 3; 8 %) or timing issues (n = 1; 3 %). Capsule endoscopy was non-diagnostic in one patient. The reference standard identified abnormal findings in 20 patients (53 %). MRE had sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios of 21 %, 100 %, infinity, and 0.79, respectively. The corresponding values for capsule endoscopy were 61 %, 85 %, 4.1, and 0.46. The reference standard and capsule endoscopy did not differ in percent positive findings (P = 0.34), but MRE differed significantly from the reference BAE (P < 0.001). Capsule endoscopy was superior to MRE for detecting abnormalities (P = 0.0015). Capsule endoscopy performed better than MRE in the detection of small-bowel abnormality in patients with OGIB. MRE may be considered as an alternative for the initial examination in patients with clinical suspicion of small-bowel stenosis.

W1619: The Benefits of Balloon-Assisted Enteroscopy in Patients With Intestinal Bleeding: From Precise Diagnosis to Reasonable Treatment

W1619: The Benefits of Balloon-Assisted Enteroscopy in Patients With Intestinal Bleeding: From Precise Diagnosis to Reasonable Treatment

Primary Balloon-assisted Enteroscopy in Patients With Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic outcome of a primary balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) approach in obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) patients. In the diagnostic approach of OGIB, both wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) and BAE are used. The advantage of the primary wireless capsule endoscopy approach is its noninvasiveness. The main advantage of the primary BAE approach is the excellent diagnostic accuracy and the possibility to perform treatment during the same procedure. A retrospective analysis of our BAE database with patients evaluated for OGIB was performed. BAE data, findings, and follow-up were obtained and evaluated. One hundred and thirty-two patients (81 male, mean age 62 (11-88) years) were included. In 60 (45%) patients with follow-up, a likely cause for OGIB was found in the small bowel during BAE: angiodysplasia or vascular malformations in 42 (70%), ulcerative lesions in 7 (12%), tumors in 3 (5%), and other findings in 8 (13%) patients. Follow-up was available in 118 (89%) patients; mean time of follow-up was 18 (1-47) months. Thirty-eight (76%) patients with findings at BAE received endoscopic treatment, 27 (71%) of them improved, but anemia also improved spontaneously in 34 patients (63%) with normal findings during BAE. The total number of angiodysplasia per patient was not related to the outcome after treatment. The primary BAE approach in OGIB patients has an acceptable diagnostic yield. Therapy seems successful at mid-term follow-up. A high frequency of spontaneous resolution of anemia in patients with normal findings during BAE was observed.

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Value of Balloon Assisted Enteroscopy in Patients with Suspected Small Bowel Acute-Overt GI Bleeding

Background: Balloon assisted enteroscopy (BAE), using double balloon (DBE) or single balloon enteroscopy (SBE), is currently the standard endoscopic investigation for the small bowel. In patients with overt-occult gastro-intestinal (OGIB) BAE has an established place in the diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm. About the role of BAE in patients with acute-overt bleeding little is known so far. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic outcome of BAE in case of acute-overt GI bleeding. Methods: Retrospectively, all patients referred for BAE with suspicion of small bowel acute-overt GI bleeding were included. Patient characteristics, prior investigations, BAE procedure related data and outcome were evaluated. An acute-overt bleeding was defined as hematemesis, rectal blood loss and/or melena. Results: In the period 2005-2008 in 22 patients had BAE for acute-overt GI bleeding: 12 males, mean age 65 (35-87) years. All patients had negative upper- en ileocolonoscopy. Clinical presentation was rectal blood loss in 11 (50%), melena and blood cloths in 7 (32%) and hematemesis and melena in 4 (18%) patients. In 18 (82%) transfusion was necessary; 11 (50%) patients presented with hemodynamic instability. Mean hemoglobin at presentation was 7.0 (5.3-10.1) g/dL (mean MCV 88). In 11 (50%) patients use of NSAID's, steroids and/or oral anticoagulation was reported. The enteroscopes used were diagnostic DBE in 12, therapeutic DBE in 7, and SBE in 3 patients. Mean insertion depth was proximal 247 (130-400) cm and distal 96 (30-150) cm. During BAE a likely cause of bleeding was found in 10 (45%) patients: in 4 (40%) tumoreus laesions (2 GIST and 2 adenocardinoma), in 4 (40%) vascular abnormalities (3 angiodysplasia and 1 jejunal varices), and 2 Dieulafoy-like-lesions were found. The pathologic findings were all located in the jejunum: 5 proximal and 5 in the mid-distal jejunum. Endoscopic therapy was applied in 6 (60%) patients, 4 patients had surgery. Two patients died due to other causes, all other patients were symptom free at mean follow-up of 23 (3-38) months. In 5 (23%) patients, wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) was performed before BAE: in 1 case WCE was true positive, WCE was false negative in 3 cases (1 angiodysplasia and 2 tumors) and in 1 case false positive. Conclusion: BAE found the source of GI bleeding in nearly half of patients presenting with an acute-overt GI bleeding, with an initial negative upper- and lower endoscopy. Cause of bleeding could be treated endoscopically in majority of patients. The sensitivity for detection of acute small bowel bleeding seems higher for BAE as compared to WCE.