Double Balloon Enteroscopy
Double Balloon Enteroscopy - Imaging the entire small bowel
Double Balloon Enteroscopy (DBE) is an endoscopic technique that allows a specially trained endoscopist to navigate the entire small bowel from either an oral or rectal approach. DBE allows both diagnostic and therapeutic techniques to be performed within the small bowel, avoiding the need of an open surgical procedure.
The double-balloon enteroscope features two balloons, one attached to the distal end of the scope and the other attached to a transparent tube sliding over the endoscope. When inflated with air, the balloons can grip sections of the small intestine and "shorten" the small intestine by pleating it over the endoscope. Sequential shortening of the small intestine over the endoscope and advancement of the endoscope enables a comprehensive examination of the entire small intestine.
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