Endoscopic examination for the small bowel--video capsule endoscopy and double balloon enteroscopy

In 2001, the new endoscopic procedures for small bowel, video capsule endoscopy (VCE) and double balloon enteroscopy (DBE), were introduced in clinical routine. Those devices were the breakthrough for the imaging examination of small bowel. And each device has many different characteristics as the approach into the target organ. But the characteristic common to both is the ability having a total observation of small bowel with the high rate. The understanding of the small bowel disease is being deeper by diagnosis in collaboration with VCE and DBE recently. VCE is superior as the first examination for small bowel and DBE is useful for detailed examination and endoscopic therapy.