New developments in small bowel enteroscopy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Endoscopic technology has evolved such that device-assisted enteroscopes (DAEs) are readily available and utilized to diagnose and treat patients with small bowel disease. In this review, we briefly discuss the DAE platforms and the expanding role for small bowel enteroscopy.

RECENT FINDINGS

The indications for small bowel endoscopy are rapidly increasing with new diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers that are allowing patients to obtain treatments that would have otherwise required more invasive or higher risk procedures. The evolving utilization of DAE tools in patients with altered gastrointestinal anatomy and otherwise palliative conditions is allowing for more aggressive and therapeutic choices for patients who would otherwise have limited options.

SUMMARY

There are currently four different platforms for small bowel endoscopy each with different operational characteristics. The literature comparing double-balloon and single-balloon enteroscopy is relatively established, but there are still limited data evaluating the role of the two newer platforms (spiral and on-demand enteroscopy) in diagnostic and therapeutic small bowel endoscopy - a reflection of the potential and vast opportunities that are available in the field of small bowel enteroscopy.