Minimally invasive extraction of a foreign body from the small intestine using double-balloon endoscopy.

Double-balloon endoscopy (DBE) can be used to treat disorders of the small intestine and can also be used to retrieve foreign bodies from the small intestine without surgery. We describe the findings of 22 cases in which DBE was used to try and retrieve foreign bodies from the small intestine. The foreign bodies included 12 capsule endoscopes, 3 artificial teeth, 3 medical tubes, 2 worms, 1 press-through packet of medicine, and 1 intestinal stone. The retrieval success rate was 86.3% (19/22), and there were no complications related to the retrieval procedures. Snare forceps were the most useful device for grasping the foreign bodies, and DBE was usually performed via an oral route. If an anal route is selected in cases involving stenosis of the small intestine, endoscopic balloon dilation will be necessary to reach the target. In conclusion, DBE is very useful for extracting foreign bodies from the small intestine, and the careful selection of the DBE route and the removal device are important for successfully retrieving foreign bodies.