title: Complications associated with double balloon enteroscopy at nine US centers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) was introduced into the US in 2004. Potential complications include perforation, pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Prevalence and risk factors for complications have not been described in a US population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective study of DBE complications in 9 US centers. We obtained detailed information for each complication including patient history, maneuvers performed during the DBE, and presence of altered surgical anatomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We collected data from 2478 DBE examinations performed from 2004 to 2008. The dataset included 1691 (68%) anterograde DBE, 722 (29%) retrograde DBE (including 5 per-stomal DBEs), and 65 (3%) DBE-facilitated endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography ERCP cases. There were a total of 22 (0.9%) major complications including perforation in 11 (0.4%), pancreatitis in 6 (0.2%), and bleeding in 4 (0.2%) patients. One of 6 cases of pancreatitis occurred post retrograde DBE. Perforations occurred in 3/1691 (0.2%) anterograde examinations and 8/719 (1.1%) retrograde DBEs (P = .004). Eight (73%) perforations occurred during diagnostic DBE examinations. Four of 8 retrograde DBE perforations occurred in patients with prior ileoanal or ileocolonic anastomoses. In the subset of 219 examinations performed in patients with surgically altered anatomy, perforations occurred in 7 (3%), including 1/159 (0.6%) anterograde DBE examinations, 6/60 (10%) retrograde DBEs, and 1 of 5 (20%) peristomal DBE examinations (P < .005 compared with patients without surgically altered anatomy).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DBE is associated with a higher complication rate compared with standard endoscopic procedures. The perforation rate was significantly elevated in patients with altered surgical anatomy undergoing diagnostic retrograde DBE examinations.
authors: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305-5202, USA. lgerson@stanford.edu
authors: Lauren B
authors: LB
authors: Gerson
authors: Jeffrey
authors: J
authors: Tokar
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Chiorean
authors: Simon
authors: S
authors: Lo
authors: G Anton
authors: GA
authors: Decker
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Cave
authors: Doumit
authors: D
authors: Bouhaidar
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Mishkin
authors: Charles
authors: C
authors: Dye
authors: Oleh
authors: O
authors: Haluszka
authors: Jonathan A
authors: JA
authors: Leighton
authors: Alvin
authors: A
authors: Zfass
authors: Carol
authors: C
authors: Semrad
mesh_terms: D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States