Single-balloon enteroscopy in patients with Crohn's disease - single centre's experience

Abstract

The new endoscopic procedures, capsule endoscopy and balloon-assisted enteroscopy, introduced in clinical practice in the last ten years, have significantly increased current diagnostic possibilities in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). The authors evaluate retrospectively the results of single-balloon enteroscopy in patients with suspected or established diagnosis of CD. Thirty-eight single-balloon enteroscopic investigations were performed in 35 patients. Successful deep intubation of the small intestine was achieved in 97% of procedures. In individuals with suspicion on small intestinal CD a positive finding was detected in only one patient. In patients with well known diagnosis of CD, single-balloon enteroscopy provided an evaluation of mucosal healing after the therapy, and in one-third of i ndividuals severe inflammatory changes were revealed, leading to a change in therapeutic strategy. One-third of patients also underwent, besides the enteroscopy, a therapeutic endoscopic procedure, mostly dilatation of strictures by TTS balloon. The major advantages of single balloon compared to double-balloon enteroscopy are: lower cost of the equipment, easier technical aspects of the investigation and shorter learning time for endoscopists. The disadvantage is the lower frequency of total small intestine investigations.