Capsule Endoscopy

Understanding PillCam™ Capsule Endoscopy

PillCam™ capsule endoscopy provides your doctor with pictures of your small intestine. This information has been prepared to help you understand the procedure. It includes answers to questions most frequently asked by patients. Please read it carefully. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to discuss them with your doctor or nurse before the procedure is scheduled.

What is a PillCam™ Capsule Endoscopy?

PillCam™ capsule endoscopy enables your doctor to examine your small intestine. Your doctor will use a vitamin-pill sized video capsule as an endoscope, which has its own lens and light source. While the video capsule travels through your body, images are sent to a data recorder you will wear on a waist belt. Afterwards your doctor will view the images on a video monitor.

Capsule Endoscopy

Why is PillCam™ Capsule Endoscopy performed?

PillCam™ capsule endoscopy helps your doctor determine the cause for recurrent or persistent symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, bleeding or anemia after a gastroscopy and a colonoscopy has been performed without revealing a diagnosis. In certain chronic gastrointestinal diseases, the method can also help evaluate the extent to which your small intestine is involved or monitor the effect of therapeutics. Your doctor might use PillCam™ capsule endoscopy to obtain motility data such as gastric or small bowel passage time.

How should I prepare for the procedure?

You will receive accurate preparation instructions the day before the examination. An empty stomach allows for the best and safest examination, so you should have nothing to eat or drink, including water, for approximately ten hours before the examination. Your doctor will tell you when to start fasting. Tell your doctor in advance about any medications you take; you might need to adjust your usual dose for the examination. Tell your doctor of the presence of a pacemaker, previous abdominal surgery, swallowing problem or previous history of obstructions in the bowel.

What can I expect during PillCam™ Capsule Endoscopy?

Your doctor will prepare you for the examination by applying a sensor array to your abdomen with adhesive sleeves. The PillCam™ capsule endoscope is ingested and passes naturally through your digestive tract while transmitting video images to a data recorder worn on a belt for approximately eight hours. The PillCam™ capsule endoscope doesn't interfere with your breathing; most patients consider the test comfortable. You will be able to eat after four hours following the capsule ingestion unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

What happens after PillCam™ Capsule Endoscopy?

At the end of the procedure, you will need to return to the office to return the data recorder and sensor arrays. The images acquired during your exam will be downloaded to a workstation for physician review. After ingesting the capsule and until it is excreted, you should not have a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination nor be near an MRI or a radiologic imaging device.

How will I know the results of the PillCam™ Capsule Endoscopy?

After you return the equipment (waist belt, data recorder, battery pack and sensor array), your doctor will process the information from the data recorder. The doctor will view a color video of the pictures taken from the capsule. After the doctor has looked at this video, you will be contacted with the results.

How does the PillCam™ Capsule get eliminated and will I feel it come out?

The PillCam™ capsule is disposable and passes naturally with your bowel movement. You should not feel any pain or discomfort.

What are the possible complications of PillCam™ Capsule Endoscopy?

Although complications may occur, they are rare when doctors who are specially trained and experienced in this procedure perform the test. Potential risks include complications from obstruction, and it is important for you to recognize early signs of possible complications. If you have a fever after the test, trouble swallowing or increasing chest or abdominal pain, call our office immediately.

Preparation Instructions for your PillCam™ Capsule Endoscopy
Patient Instructions for Capsule Endoscopy:

Your physician has determined that as part of your medical evaluation, you should undergo an examination known as capsule endoscopy. This procedure involves ingesting a small imaging capsule approximately the size of a large vitamin pill. The capsule will pass naturally through your digestive system while taking pictures of the intestines. Several sensors attached to your abdomen will receive images transmitted by the capsule. These images will be stored on a walkman-like data recorder. As directed, you will return to our office for removal of the sensors and data recorder. The capsule is disposable and will be excreted naturally in your bowel movement.

Known contraindications to capsule endoscopy include cardiac pacemakers, defibrillators or other implanted electromagnetic devices, severe intestinal motility disorders, Zenker's diverticulum, swallowing disorders, small bowel diverticulosis and pregnancy. Severe Crohn's enteritis, small intestinal strictures and obstruction are also contraindications as patients are at increased risk of capsule impaction and obstruction. Impaction and obstruction would require surgery to remove the capsule.

In order to get the most accurate information, you will need to follow the instructions below:

The Day before Capsule Endoscopy:

After lunch on the day before the capsule endoscopy, start a clear liquid diet. No solid foods are allowed.
After 10:00 p.m. the evening before capsule endoscopy, do not eat or drink except for necessary medication with a sip of water.
Do not take any medication beginning two hours before undergoing capsule endoscopy.
Abstain from smoking 24 hours prior to undergoing capsule endoscopy.
Male patients should shave their abdomen six inches (15cm) above and below the navel on the day of the examination. If it is difficult for you to shave your abdomen, please contact our office to arrange to have this done in advance.

The Day of Capsule Endoscopy:

Arrive at our office for your capsule endoscopy dressed in loose fitting, two-piece clothing.
You will have a pre-procedure interview. During this time, you will be informed of the small chance of intestinal obstruction. You will be asked to give your informed consent.
The sensor array will be attached with adhesive pads and will be connected to the data recorder that you will wear in a belt around your waist.
After that you will be instructed to ingest the PILLCAM capsule.

After ingesting the PILLCAM capsule:

After ingesting the capsule, do not eat or drink for at least two hours. After four hours, you may have a light snack. After the examination is completed, you may return to your normal diet. The above instructions related to eating apply, unless your physician specifies otherwise. Contact our office immediately if you suffer from any abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting during capsule endoscopy.
You will be allowed to leave after the capsule is ingested. You should not be near any source of powerful electromagnetic fields such as an MRI device or amateur (ham) radio.
Occasionally, some images may be lost due to radio interference. On rare occasions this may result in the need to repeat the capsule endoscopy examination. In this case, the physician will advise you to stay within the premises of our office during the capsule endoscopy to prevent this problem from recurring.
Capsule endoscopy lasts approximately eight hours and is considered complete according to your doctor's instructions. Do not disconnect the equipment or remove the belt at any time during this period. The data recorder is a small computer and should be treated with utmost care and protection. Avoid sudden movement and banging of the data recorder.
During capsule endoscopy, you will need to verify every 15 minutes that the small light on top of the data recorder is blinking twice per second. If, for some reason it stops blinking at this rate, record the time and contact our office at (818) 295-6944. You should also record the time and nature of any event such as eating, drinking, your activity and unusual sensations. Give this information to your doctor at the time you return the equipment.
Avoid strenuous physical activity especially if it involves sweating. Do not bend over or stoop during capsule endoscopy.

After completing Capsule Endoscopy:

You will be instructed by your doctor on how to return the equipment at the end of capsule endoscopy.
If you did not positively verify the excretion of the capsule from your body and you develop unexplained post-procedure nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain, contact our office for evaluation.
Undergoing an MRI while the capsule is inside our body may result in serious damage to your intestinal tract or abdominal cavity.

Capsule Endoscopy | Lakeside Community Healthcare