Complications of Double Balloon Enteroscopy

Endoscopic interventions like mucosal biopsy, (argon plasma) coagulation, snare polypectomy, injection therapy, tattooing for marking, and balloon dilation therapy can be performed during double balloon enteroscopy (DBE). Until recently, none or little data were available about the complication rate of diagnostic and therapeutic DBE procedures. In the past 6 months, three studies presented data, all in a retrospective manner, about complications during or after DBE. From these data, it emerges that DBE is a relatively safe procedure with an overall complication rate of 1.2% to 1.7%. The complication rate of diagnostic DBE is 0.8%, and comparable with diagnostic upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy. Acute pancreatitis is the most common complication after diagnostic DBE procedures, occurring in 0.3% of procedures. The complication rate of therapeutic DBE is 3.4% to 4.3% and higher compared with therapeutic upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy. Especially polypectomy procedures in the small bowel seem to be at high risk for complications.

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