Balloon-assisted enteroscopy for suspected Meckel's diverticulum and indefinite diagnostic imaging workup.
Meckel's diverticulum (MD) is estimated to affect 1%-2% of the general population, and it represents a clinically silent finding of a congenital anomaly in up to 85% of the cases. In adults, MD may cause symptoms, such as overt occult lower gastrointestinal bleeding. The diagnostic imaging workup includes computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging enterography, technetium 99m scintigraphy (99mTc) using either labeled red blood cells or pertechnetate (known as the Meckel's scan) and angiography. The preoperative detection rate of MD in adults is low, and many patients ultimately undergo exploratory laparoscopy. More recently, however, endoscopic identification of MD has been possible with the use of balloon-assisted enteroscopy via direct luminal access, which also provides visualization of the diverticular ostium. The aim of this study was to review the diagnosis by double-balloon enteroscopy of 4 adults with symptomatic MD but who had negative diagnostic imaging workups. These cases indicate that balloon-assisted enteroscopy is a valuable diagnostic method and should be considered in adult patients who have suspected MD and indefinite findings on diagnostic imaging workup, including negative Meckel's scan.
Guilherme Francisco Gomes, Eduardo Aimore Bonin, Rafael William Noda, Thiago Ferreira Bartholomei, Endoscopy Unit, Nossa Senhora das Graças Hospital, Curitiba 81830, Brazil.
Guilherme Francisco
GF
Gomes
Guilherme Francisco Gomes, Eduardo Aimore Bonin, Rafael William Noda, Thiago Ferreira Bartholomei, Endoscopy Unit, Nossa Senhora das Graças Hospital, Curitiba 81830, Brazil.
Eduardo Aimore
EA
Bonin
Guilherme Francisco Gomes, Eduardo Aimore Bonin, Rafael William Noda, Thiago Ferreira Bartholomei, Endoscopy Unit, Nossa Senhora das Graças Hospital, Curitiba 81830, Brazil.
Rafael William
RW
Noda
Guilherme Francisco Gomes, Eduardo Aimore Bonin, Rafael William Noda, Thiago Ferreira Bartholomei, Endoscopy Unit, Nossa Senhora das Graças Hospital, Curitiba 81830, Brazil.
Leandro Totti
LT
Cavazzola
Guilherme Francisco Gomes, Eduardo Aimore Bonin, Rafael William Noda, Thiago Ferreira Bartholomei, Endoscopy Unit, Nossa Senhora das Graças Hospital, Curitiba 81830, Brazil.
Thiago Ferreira
TF
Bartholomei
Diagnosis; Double-balloon enteroscopy; Meckel’s diverticulum