title: Double balloon enteroscopy: a 2 year experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Double balloon enteroscopy is a new technique that enables deep intubation of the endoscope into the small bowel lumen. Through a channel in the endoscope, invasive procedures such as biopsy, polypectomy and hemostasis can be performed, avoiding the need for surgery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To prospectively analyze our results of the first 124 DBEs performed since February 2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group comprised all patients who underwent DBE at the Sheba Medical Center between February 2007 and February 2009. Recorded were the patients' demographic data, comorbidities, indications for the examination, results of previous non-invasive small bowel imaging (computed tomography enterography, capsule endoscopy, etc), investigation time, and results of the procedure including findings, endoscopic interventions, complications and pathological report.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 124 procedures were performed in 109 patients. Of the 124 examinations, 57 (46%) were normal and 67 (54%) showed pathology. The main pathologies detected on DBE were polyps (14%), vascular lesions (17.6%) and inflammation (12%). Endoscopic biopsies and therapeutic interventions were required in 58 examinations (46%). A new diagnosis was established in 15% of patients, diagnosis was confirmed in 29% and excluded or corrected in 12%. One complication was observed: a post-polypectomy syndrome that was treated conservatively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DBE is a safe procedure and has a high diagnostic and therapeutic yield. Most of the examinations were performed under conscious sedation, and only a minority of patients required deeper sedation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Adi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lahat
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nadler
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Maor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lahav
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Novis
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bar-Meir
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016292:Procedural Sedation; D020776:Endoscopes, Gastrointestinal; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D007421:Intestine, Small; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult