title: Enteroscope without overtube for cecal intubation after an incomplete colonoscopy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cecal intubation is one of the targets of colon endoscopic evaluation, however even under experienced hands 5-10% of colonoscopies are incomplete.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study is to evaluate the usefulness of single balloon enteroscope (SBE) without employing overtube-balloon equipment in patients with incomplete colonoscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2009 and July 2010, patients with an incomplete standard colonscopy were prospectively enrolled to perform a colonoscopy with a single balloon enteroscope. Examinations were performed by the same expert operator during the same session.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Enteroscopy was performed on 79 patients, cecal intubation were obtained in 93.6% of the cases (74/79). It provided a new diagnosis in 43% of cases (34/79). Procedure was safe and well tolerated. Overall the additional use of single balloon enteroscope allowed to obtain the cecal intubation in up to 99.2% cases (898/905).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of the enteroscope without overtube-balloon equipment may be an effective method to increase the cecal intubation rate after failure of a standard colonoscopy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, San Giovanni Bosco Hospital, Torino, Italy. fvcoppola@libero.it
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gaia
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cosimato
authors.forename: Serafino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Recchia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002404:Catheterization; D002432:Cecum; D020685:Colonoscopes; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult