Single-balloon endoscopy for removing a foreign body in the small bowel (with video)

 CommentaryForeign body ingestions are the result of either an accidental or purposeful ingestion. Which of these two types was the result described in this article cannot be judged from the information provided. However, taking care of this adolescent will be critical after she is discharged from the hospital. I would be less concerned if she were older or if she was a seamstress, but this was not the case. Fortunately, a perforating needle creates only a tiny hole that muscular contractions seal over when it is removed; therefore, pneumoperitoneum is usually small and absent infection, and is not a major problem. Removing the needle, however, can be problematic, although the use of an overtube certainly improves the safety of the procedure. As for the single-balloon endoscopy system, this relatively new technique makes it easier to advance into the relatively proximal, deeper recesses of the small intestine, and also easier to navigate segments of the bowel that were previously unreachable, except intraoperatively or by double-balloon endoscopy. Arthur Clark, the English science fiction writer, said the following: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Well, this advanced technology was, indeed, magic: it took the needle this girl made disappear and made it reappear.Lawrence J. Brandt, MDAssociate Editor for Focal Points

PII: S0016-5107(09)02040-9

doi: 10.1016/j.gie.2009.05.028

© 2009 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.