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Drs. Sergey Kantsevoy and Paul Thuluvath of the Institute for Digestive Health and Liver Disease at Mercy now performing double balloon endoscopy.

Drs. Sergey Kantsevoy And Paul Thuluvath Of The Institute For Digestive Health And Liver Disease At Mercy Now Performing Double Balloon Enteroscopy

Baltimore, MD — The Institute for Digestive Health and Liver Disease at Mercy Medical Center is now offering Double Balloon Enteroscopy. Utilizing a specialized endoscope, this new technique allows physicians to perform both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures within the small bowel without open surgery. The Institute’s Paul Thuluvath, M.D., and Sergey Kantsevoy, M.D., Ph.D., were the first in the Baltimore area to perform Double Balloon Enteroscopy allowing complete examination of small intestine, one of the most inaccessible areas of the GI tract.

According to Dr. Kantsevoy, the new double-balloon enteroscope features two balloons, one attached to the distal end of the scope and the other attached to a transparent tube sliding over the endoscope. When inflated with air, the balloons can grip sections of the small intestine and "shorten" the small intestine by pleating it over the endoscope. Sequential shortening of the small intestine over the endoscope and advancement of the endoscope enables a comprehensive examination of the entire small intestine.

Traditional upper endoscopy and colonoscopy allow the physician to see only the two extreme ends of the gastrointestinal tract. The small intestine, which is approximately 25 feet in length, has been the “blind spot,” Dr. Kantsevoy said. Double Balloon enteroscopy allows physicians to examine the entire small intestine, and to perform treatments to stop bleeding, remove polyps and destroy tumors.

The Double Balloon enteroscopy system was developed and is manufactured by a Japanese company, Fujinon, Inc. The system received Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval in June 2004 and produces high-quality images, shortens procedure time, and reduces patient discomfort.

“Using Double Balloon enteroscopy, we may find a lesion in the small intestine that requires surgery. We can ‘tattoo’ the area—in essence, leaving a marker behind—so that we can locate the trouble area for biopsy and tissue diagnosis. Double Balloon enteroscopy thus helps surgeons to map out the appropriate surgical treatment plan for the patient. This means smaller incisions, less invasive procedures and shorter recovery,” Dr. Thuluvath said.

Dr. Paul J. Thuluvath is Medical Director of The Institute for Digestive Health & Liver Disease at Mercy. He received his medical degree from the St. Johns Academy of Medical Sciences, Bangalore, India, and his doctorate from University of Sheffield School of Medicine, England, where he also completed his residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Hepatology. Dr. Thuluvath, who completed his gastroenterology fellowship at Cambridge University, is accredited by the Joint Committee for Higher Medical Education of the UK for both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London.

A recognized specialist in Therapeutic Endoscopy, Dr. Sergey Kantsevoy received his medical degree from Gorky Medical Institute, Gorky, Russia. Board Certified in Gastroenterology and Hepatology as well as Internal Medicine, Dr. Kantsevoy specializes in interventional endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound.