Double Balloon Enteroscopy

Children’s Mercy is preparing to become one of the few institutions in the country to perform a procedure known as “Double Balloon Enteroscopy” (DBE) for children with small bowel disorders. Listen in as Thomas Attard, MD, FAAP, FACG, Medical Director of Endoscopy Services-Division of Gastroenterology, has shared that DBE provides a more complete evaluation of the small intestine because the instrument used allows access to areas beyond the reach of conventional endoscopes. The DBE scope provides sharp, clear, high-definition images; it can be used to biopsy tumors, remove small lesions and mark an area with dye for future surgical localization, helping a surgeon know exactly where to go. Gastrointestinal bleeding, abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea, polyps and tumors are among the conditions that can be evaluated and treated with DBE technology.