Open-Access Single Balloon Enteroscopy: A Tertiary Care Experience

• Published in: Southern medical journal (Birmingham, Ala.) Vol. 108; no. 12; pp. 739 - 743
• Main Authors: Holman, Nathan, Wallace, Kristin, Moore, J Matthew, Brock, Andrew S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States by the Southern Medical Association 01-12-2015
• Subjects: Abdominal Pain - diagnosis; Abdominal Pain - etiology; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; Female; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage - diagnosis; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage - etiology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Referral and Consultation; Retrospective Studies; Tertiary Care Centers; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0038-4348; 1541-8243
• DOI: 10.14423/SMJ.0000000000000388

OBJECTIVESTo compare single balloon enteroscopy (SBE) between patients seen in consultation by a member of our gastroenterology team with those performed as open-access cases.
METHODSRetrospective study of all patients who underwent SBE at a single tertiary care center from April 2008 to January 2012. Open- and closed-access procedures were compared in terms of diagnostic and therapeutic yield, adverse events, and procedural success.
RESULTSA total of 125 SBEs were performed on 125 patients. The mean age was 63.1 (53% men) years. In all, 43 procedures were performed open access and 82 after face-to-face consultation. Indications included anemia/gastrointestinal bleeding (110), abdominal pain (8), and other (7). Diagnostic yield for open- and closed-access procedures was 53% and 60%, respectively (P = 0.501) and therapeutic yield was 37% and 52%, respectively (P = 0.11). Overall technical success was 91% with no difference between the groups (P = 0.27). There were no major adverse events in either group.
CONCLUSIONSSBE can be performed as an open-access procedure without compromise to safety or diagnostic yield.