Purpose of review: Our strategy for small intestinal diseases has dramatically been brushed up with a novel technique, double-balloon endoscopy, which exhibits extremely better insertability and maneuverability compared with conventional methods. Double-balloon endoscopy has a potential to change radically the approach for the small intestinal diseases in the future. In this article, the publications on double-balloon endoscope will be reviewed.
Recent findings: A double-balloon endoscope can be inserted into deeper portions of the small intestine via both oral and anal approaches, and allows endoscopic observation as well as treatment for the entire small intestine without general anesthesia. Reports have been made on this method's safety and low frequency of complication: it is very useful for diagnosis and treatment of small intestinal diseases, including small intestinal bleeding, small intestinal tumor, stenosis of small intestine, and polyposis syndrome.
Summary: The development of double-balloon endoscopy enabled observation and treatment in the entire small intestine. The double-balloon endoscopy has a potential to be a standard of enteroscopy by replacing conventional push enteroscopy and intraoperative enteroscopy. In the near future, the double-balloon endoscopy, together with the capsule endoscopy, will be essential modalities for the management of small intestinal diseases.