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What are Capsule Endoscopies?
- Healthasion
- Feb 12, 2021
- 2 min read
Endoscopies are procedures which involve the placement of a camera inside a patient’s body. A typical endoscopy involves a video camera being passed through the rectum or throat via a flexible tube and led toward the specific region to be observed. Although these procedures were considered a great advancement in medicine upon their discovery, they have been surpassed by a new, safer system—capsule endoscopies. A capsule endoscopy involves a patient swallowing a small-sized pill that contains a tiny camera. The pill passes through the patient’s digestive system, giving their doctors a view from the perspective of a swallowed piece of food. This system allows the small intestine and digestive tract to be studied in a non-invasive and painless way, perhaps explaining the operation’s surge in popularity over the last decade.
From searching for gastrointestinal bleeding or screening for polyps to diagnosing cancers, inflammatory bowel diseases, or celiac diseases, the uses for this procedure are numerous. Although arguably safer than a typical endoscopy, the capsule endoscopy is associated with a few risks and negative side effects. There is a chance the capsule may not fully pass through the system and become stuck, for instance, which would require an endoscopy or similar surgery to remove the capsule.
When a patient undergoes a capsule endoscopy procedure, the typical procedure is as follows. Generally, one is not allowed to eat in the twelve hours prior to taking the capsule, so as to prevent any unclear images. For the same reason, medications may be prescribed to clear out the small intestine before the capsule is swallowed. The capsule is swallowed just like any typical pill and leaves the patient with minimal tasks to avoid, including heavy lifting and extraneous activities. Within the eight hours it is in the body, the capsule takes thousands of colored pictures, which the patient’s medical team then studies. The capsule captures these images through a recorder worn on the patient’s waist. Some capsules also require antenna stickers to be placed on the patient's skin. The capsule is finally passed naturally and often does not need to be returned to the doctor’s office.
The capsule endoscopy highlights the shift in medicine toward minimally invasive procedures which use advanced technology. It is probable that as time passes, the shift toward such technologically advanced procedures will continue to grow throughout the medical field.
SOURCES:
Mayo Clinic (n.d). Patient Care Health and Information: Tests and Procedures
American Society for Gastorintestinal Endoscopy (n.d). Understanding Capsule Endoscopy
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