title: Single-balloon enteroscopy for small bowel diseases: results from an initial experience at a single Chinese center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the performance, diagnostic yield, and safety of single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE) at a Chinese tertiary-care center.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 67 patients with suspected small bowel diseases who underwent SBE via the oral and/or anal routes from January 2009 to August 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. Data were extracted from electronic clinical and endoscopy records. The indications, SBE procedure time, diagnostic yield and complications were summarized and evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 42 SBE procedures through the oral route and 38 via the anal route were performed in these 67 patients. Patients were referred mainly for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) (40.3%) and abdominal pain (29.8%). The mean procedure duration was 68.1 min from the oral cavity and 77.5 min from the anus. The estimated depth of insertion was 247.6 ± 80.3 cm from the oral cavity and 131.1 ± 68.7 cm from the anus. The overall significant diagnostic yield was 68.7%. In patients with OGIB and unexplained chronic abdominal pain, the diagnostic yield was 74.1% and 50.0%, respectively. There were no significant complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SBE appears to be a safe and effective method for the diagnosis and treatment of deep small bowel disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Fa Chao
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Zhi
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Si
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Liu
authors.forename: Zhi Min
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000473:pathology; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000473:pathology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008467:Meckel Diverticulum / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010580:Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014839:Vomiting / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult