OBJECTIVE: The aim of this explorative study was to evaluate double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) as a new tool for collecting mucosal biopsies from well-defined parts of the entire small and large bowel in patients with type 2 diabetes and in matched healthy subjects.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve subjects with type 2 diabetes and 12 body mass index and age-matched healthy subjects underwent anterograde and retrograde DBE under nurse-administered propofol sedation on two separate days. We attempted to collect two mucosal biopsies from every 30 cm from pylorus to rectum.

RESULTS: A mean of 21 biopsy sites were sampled in the diabetic group versus 25 in the healthy group. In 4 out of 24 patients (2 [17%] from each group) sampling from the entire gastrointestinal system was possible. Mean depth of maximal insertion (anterograde) was 478 ± 32 cm in patients with type 2 diabetes versus 465 ± 44 cm in healthy subjects (p = 0.81) and with retrograde access 230 ± 36 cm (type 2 diabetes) versus 207 ± 26 cm (healthy subjects).

CONCLUSIONS: DBE is a minimally invasive way of collecting fresh biopsies from the entire gastrointestinal tract and, thus provides research and clinical communities with a new possibility to access hitherto unexplored human anatomy and physiology.