バルーン小腸内視鏡(balloon assisted endoscopy; BAE)は,従来困難であった小腸の検査・治療に有用な検査法である.当院では,2004年にダブルバルーン小腸内視鏡(double balloon endoscopy; DBE)を導入し,2012年6月現在,234症例(延べ325症例;シングルバルーン小腸内視鏡[single balloon endoscopy; SBE]2例を含む)経験した.症例の内訳は,男性127例,女性107例で,平均年齢は62.6歳であった.主訴は,原因不明の消化管出血(obscure gastrointestinal bleeding; OGIB)症例が143例(61.1%)と最多であった.基礎疾患は心血管障害47例(20.1%)が最多で,抗血小板・抗凝固療法を施行している症例は53例(22.6%)にみられた.経口的アプローチは325症例中158例で,経肛門的アプローチは167例,経口的,経肛門的アプローチを両方施行された症例は56例あった.病変は78例(24.0%)に検出され,その内訳は,びらん及び潰瘍性病変23例(29.5%),腫瘍性病変22例(28.2%),血管性病変21例(26.9%)であった.また,外科的切除,内視鏡的止血術等の治療を58例(74.4%)に施行した.BAE により小腸疾患の診断・治療が大きく進歩した.しかしながら,一方で手技が煩雑な点,患者の身体的侵襲も少なくなく合併症を有する点が欠点として挙げられる.そのため,各種小腸疾患の診断,治療に対しては,個々の患者の状況により,BAEとカプセル内視鏡(capsule endoscopy; CA)とを使い分けていくことが重要である.Balloon assisted endoscopy (BAE) is a novel endoscopic technique developed to investigate small bowel diseases (SBDs). BAE has been installed from 2004 in Kawasaki Medical School Hospital. Since then, 234 patients (107 female, 117 male; mean age 62.6 years) with suspected or known SBDs underwent BAE, and we have performed a total of 325 consecutive BAE procedures. The most common indication for BAE was an obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. Cardiovascular disease was the most major coexisting disease (47 patients, 20.1%), and 53 patients (22.6%) were prescribed anti-platelet and/or anticoagulant therapy. One hundred and fifty eight patients were treated BAE via the oral approach, 167 patients were performed via the anal approach, and 56 patients were treated via the dual approach. The overall diagnostic yield was 24.0% (78/325 cases). Among the 78 cases, there were 23 erosions/ulcerations, 22 tumors, 21 angiovascular lesions, and other SBDs. The subsequent treatments, such as endoscopic therapy and surgical therapy were performed following the BAE procedure in 74.4% (58/78) of cases. BAE is a useful tool that not only allows diagnostic workup of SBDs, but also makes it possible to carry out therapeutic intervention. On the other hand, we should make careful decisions of indications for BAE, because it\u27s an invasive and complex procedure and the examination requires substantial time to complete