Capsule endoscopy is a procedure designed to help your physician see what is happening inside parts of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The GI tract is the tube which extends from the mouth to the anus in which the movement of muscles digests food. During the procedure, a patient swallows a vitamin-sized pill with a camera inside. Transported smoothly and painlessly through the GI tract by the body’s own natural peristalsis, the PillCam video capsule transmits images of different parts of your body such as the small intestine and the esophagus. Since the first PillCam video capsule was approved by the FDA in 2001, more than 700,000 patients have safely swallowed one of the PillCam video capsules.
Capsule endoscopy is the least invasive and most direct way for doctor’s to see the entire small intestine and esophagus. Hundreds of clinical studies conducted by the world’s leading gastroenterologists have shown the value of the PillCam video capsules in helping doctors diagnose or rule out disorders of the GI tract.
PILLCAM SB
The PillCam SB video capsule is designed specifically to help your doctor see inside your small bowel (small intestine) to diagnose disorders such as Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease, benign and cancerous tumors, ulcerative colitis as well as others disorders. The small intestine is the part of the gastrointestinal tract that connects the stomach to the large intestine and absorbs nutrients.
PillCam SB transmits images at a rate of two images per second for approximately eight hours, resulting in more than 50,000 images.
How the Procedure Works
A patient fasts starting at midnight the day before the procedure. The following morning they arrive at the physician’s office where they are prepped for the procedure. This includes attaching the sensor array to the patient’s abdomen and the data recorder to a belt around the patient’s waist. Once these tasks have been completed the patient will be given a glass of water to help swallow the vitamin-sized pill. The patient can resume daily activities once he or she has successfully swallowed the PillCam video capsule. After 8-hours the patient returns to the physician’s office to return the device and the pill passes naturally with a bowel movement usually within 24 hours.
Images are downloaded by the physician to the Given workstation for review and diagnosis. The proprietary RAPID software installed on the workstation contains an image atlas to help facilitate the analysis.
PILLCAM ESO
The PillCam ESO video capsule is designed specifically to help your doctor see inside your esophagus to diagnose diseases such as esophageal varices, which may result in fatal bleeding, gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD) and Barrett’s esophagus, which is an early indication for esophageal cancer. The esophagus is a tube shaped organ that connects the throat to your stomach.
PillCam ESO provides a patient-friendly alternative to esophageal endoscopy and the associated sedation and discomfort. PillCam ESO contains an imaging device and light source at both ends of the capsule and takes up to 14 images per second or a total of 2,600 color images as it passes down the esophagus. A patient fasts for two hours prior to arriving at the physician’s office. Once he or she arrives they are the patient is prepped for the procedure. This includes attaching the sensor array to the patient’s chest and the data recorder to a belt around the patient’s waist. Once these tasks have been completed the patient will be given a glass of water to help swallow the vitamin-sized pill while lying on his or her back.
How the Procedure Works
After swallowing the PillCam ESO video capsule, the patient is raised by 30-degree angles every two minutes over a six-minute period until he or she is sitting fully upright. The entire procedure takes approximately 20 -minutes, and the pill passes naturally with a bowel movement usually within 24 hours.
Images are downloaded by the physician to the Given workstation for review and diagnosis, or the data can be sent to an experienced reader through Given’s VueSpan reading service for interpretation.. The proprietary RAPID software installed on the workstation contains an image atlas to help facilitate the analysis.
The PillCam ESO video capsule measures 11 mm x 26 mm and weighs less than 4 grams. It contains an imaging device and light source at both ends of the video capsule and takes up to 14 images per second, or 2,600 color images, as it passes down the esophagus during the 20-minute procedure.