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An enteroscope is a long flexible endoscope used to examine the small intestine. It has a light, camera, and working channel that allow clinicians to view the bowel lining and sometimes pass instruments. Enteroscopes can be used through the mouth or rectum depending on the area being examined. The procedure is called enteroscopy and may be diagnostic or therapeutic.
read more about enteroscope ...An enteroscope is used when clinicians need to evaluate parts of the small bowel that are harder to reach with standard endoscopy or colonoscopy. It may help investigate bleeding, anemia, abnormal imaging, polyps, tumors, Crohn’s disease, strictures, or suspected small-bowel disease. It can also be used to take biopsies, treat bleeding, remove selected polyps, or retrieve foreign bodies. The reason for the exam guides the route and technique used.
The enteroscope carries images from inside the digestive tract to a video monitor. Some systems use balloons, overtubes, or spiral-assisted methods to advance deeper into the small intestine. Air or carbon dioxide may be used to open the bowel for a clearer view. Instruments can pass through the scope channel for biopsy, bleeding control, dilation, or other treatment.
Types include push enteroscopy, single-balloon enteroscopy, double-balloon enteroscopy, spiral enteroscopy, and intraoperative enteroscopy. Upper enteroscopy enters through the mouth, while lower enteroscopy enters through the rectum. Balloon-assisted methods can examine deeper portions of the small bowel than standard scopes. The chosen method depends on the suspected location, patient condition, and available equipment.
Possible risks include sore throat, bloating, bleeding, perforation, aspiration, medication reaction, pancreatitis in rare cases, or complications from treatment performed during the procedure. Patients may need fasting, bowel preparation, sedation, and someone to take them home afterward. Follow-up depends on findings, biopsy results, and whether treatment was done. Severe abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, black stools, heavy bleeding, or trouble breathing should be reported promptly.
No. A colonoscope examines the colon, while an enteroscope is designed to examine the small intestine and may be longer or used with special advancement systems.
Yes. Many enteroscopes have a working channel that allows biopsy forceps and other instruments to pass through.
No. It is an endoscopic procedure, though some forms can be complex and may be done in specialized centers.
Timing varies by technique, route, findings, and whether treatment is performed. Balloon-assisted procedures often take longer than standard upper endoscopy.
Enteroscopy: Types, Definition, Procedure & What to Expect. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/23060-enteroscopy. Date Accessed June 18, 2026.
Single or Double Balloon Enteroscopy. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/24199-balloon-assisted-enteroscopy. Date Accessed June 18, 2026.
Enteroscopy. Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/enteroscopy. Date Accessed June 18, 2026.
Enteroscopy. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. https://www.giejournal.org/article/s0016-5107%2815%2902539-0/fulltext. Date Accessed June 18, 2026.
Small Bowel Enteroscopy: A Joint Clinical Guideline from the Spanish and Portuguese Small Bowel Study Groups. PubMed Central. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7506290/. Date Accessed June 18, 2026.