Laparoscopically assisted bowel surgery in an era of double-balloon enteroscopy: from inside to outside.

BACKGROUND: This report describes an integrated therapeutic method of double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) and laparoscopically assisted bowel surgery (LABS) for small bowel diseases.

METHODS: In this study, 34 patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB, n=25) and abdominal pain (n=9) who underwent DBE and LABS were analyzed. Demographics, patient characteristics, diagnostic tests, DBE and LABS findings, surgical results, and long-term outcome were reviewed.

RESULTS: All 34 patients underwent DBE without significant complications. Biopsy was performed for 16 patients, ink mark for 25 patients, and temporary homeostasis during DBE for 5 patients. Laparoscopically assisted bowel resection was performed for 27 patients, converted laparotomy for 6 patients, and laparoscopic diagnosis alone for 1 patient. The pathologic diagnoses included gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) for eight patients, primary adenocarcinoma for three patients, lymphoma for three patients, Meckel's diverticulum for three patients, angiodysplasia for three patients, ulcer for two patients, lipoma for four patients, metastasis for three patients, jejunal diverticulosis for two patients, and tuberculosis ileitis, ileal varix, and lymphangioma for one patient each. No surgical mortalities or significant morbidities were noted. After a follow-up period of 14+/-3 months, 29 patients were well without disease recurrence. Two patients had symptomatic recurrence, and three patients died of cancerous progression.

CONCLUSIONS: The combination of DBE and LABS represents an ideal therapeutic method, especially for OGIB caused by small bleeding neoplasms or vascular lesions.