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World J Gastrointest Endosc. Jan 16, 2015; 7(1): 59-65
Published online Jan 16, 2015. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v7.i1.59
Current status of single-balloon enteroscopy: Insertability and clinical applications
Takuji Kawamura, Koji Uno, Kiyohito Tanaka, Kenjiro Yasuda
Takuji Kawamura, Koji Uno, Kiyohito Tanaka, Kenjiro Yasuda, Department of Gastroenterology, Kyoto Second Red Cross Hospital, Kyoto 602-8026, Japan
Takuji Kawamura, Department of Stress Science, Institute of Health Biosciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
Author contributions: All the authors contributed to this paper.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Takuji Kawamura, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kyoto Second Red Cross Hospital, 355-5 Haruobi-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8026, Japan. kawamurat@kyoto2.jrc.or.jp
Telephone: +81-75-2315171 Fax: +81-75-2563451
Received: August 26, 2014
Peer-review started: August 27, 2014
First decision: September 16, 2014
Revised: September 30, 2014
Accepted: November 7, 2014
Article in press: November 10, 2014
Published online: January 16, 2015
Abstract

The single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE) system was launched in 2007, proposed as a simpler method than double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE). Controversy surrounds whether the SBE system has the same insertability as DBE. However, many methods have been proposed to improve the depth of insertion with the SBE system, involving several techniques and endoscopic accessories. SBE is used for investigating not only small bowel diseases, but also diseases of the pancreatobiliary and colonic structures. SBE is a necessary advancement for many endoscopic procedures and applications in modern clinical practice. In our review, we summarized the current literature concerning the insertability of SBE and described the technical aspects of improving the rate of deep insertion in SBE procedures. In addition, the recent applications of SBE to diseases besides those of the small bowel are described.

Keywords: Single-balloon enteroscopy, Double-balloon enteroscopy, Small-bowel endoscopy, Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic submucosal dissection

Core tip: The insertability of the single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE) system can be improved by technical innovations and by using endoscopic accessories such as carbon dioxide insufflation equipment. SBE is used not only useful for small bowel diseases, but also for colonic lesions and pancreatobiliary diseases. The SBE system is a necessary advancement for many endoscopic procedures in modern clinical practice.