Single Balloon Enteroscopy-Guided Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Surgically Altered Anatomy: Long vs. Short Type

Traditionally, enteroscopy-guided endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) was considered as troublesome procedure with high risk of complications in patients with surgically altered anatomy (SAA). However, recent studies have suggested that it might not have to be a foregone conclusion. In addition, various enteroscopes have been used for enteroscopy-guided ERCP in patients with SAA showing promising results. Among them, long type single balloon enteroscopes (SBE) have mostly been used for enteroscopy-guided ERCP in Korea. Recently, short type SBE can come in handy all around. Two major points should be considered when to choose between long type and short type SBE in SAA. First, it is the figurative difference between the two types of SBE that effects on actual results of enteroscopy-guided ERCP. Second, it is clinical studies using short type and/or long type SBE for enteroscopy-guided ERCP in patients with SAA. Conclusively speaking, short type SBE should be considered at first for enteroscopy-guided ERCP in most patients with SAA.