The diagnostic and therapeutic push-enteroscopy - an overview

In many gastroenterological departments, the push-enteroscopy has become a well-established method to investigate the small bowel. Compared to the son de-enteroscopy, this method has the advantage of offering the opportunity t o intervene (e.g., taking biopsies, polypectomy, electrocoagulation) since the push-enteroscope has a working channel. The main indication for an endo scopic procedure is still the search for intestinal sources of bleeding aft er more frequent sources in the gastrointestinal tract have been ruled out. Other diagnostic and therapeutic indications are less frequent. In this ov erview we will first describe the procedure. Then we will review the most r ecent diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of the push-enteroscopy and compar e it to other procedures.