Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic valve of double balloon enteroscopy in patients with obscure abdominal pain and analyze the etiology of chronic abdominal pain resulted from enteral diseases.
Methods: Sixty-seven cases with chronic abdominal pain underwent a previous negative gastroscopy, colonoscopy, gastrointestinal barium, B ultrasound and electrocardiogram were received double balloon enteroscopy during June 2005 to June 2008.
Results: Thirty-six of 67 patients was done by enteroscopy via anus, and 19 cases via oral, and 12 cases via both anus and oral. The lesions were found in 41 of the 67 patients, with overall diagnostic yield of 61.19%. Among 41 cases of abdominal pain resulted from small bowel diseases, Crohn's disease were found in 15 cases (36.59%), non-specific small enteritis in 10 cases (24.39%), tumors in 8 cases (19.51%), other enteral diseases in 8 cases (19.51%).
Conclusions: Double balloon enteroscopy was a diagnostic modality with a high diagnostic value for obscure abdominal pain resulted from small bowel diseases. The most common causes of obscure abdominal pain were Crohn's disease, non-specific small enteritis and tumors.