Borescope

Capsule endoscopy is new type of medical technology in which the patient swallows a pill sized video capsule called an endoscope, which allows the doctor to view the images on a video monitor. This medical method is also called small bowel endoscopy, or wireless endoscopy. It’s like swallowing a video camera with the size of a pill. Yes, it does sound really weird, but this approach is painless and efficient at the same time.

With capsule endoscopy, doctors can find the cause of bleeding from the small intestine, detect polyps, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease), ulcers, and tumors of the small intestine. The capsule endoscope is swallowed and passes naturally through your digestive tract while transmitting video images to a data recorder worn on your belt for approximately eight hours. At the end of the procedure you will return to the office and the data recorder is removed so that images of your small bowel can be put on a computer screen for physician review.

In order for the procedure to have maximum effectiveness, there are several requirements that must be considered. First of all, the pill should be taken on an empty stomach in order to carry out a safe examination. Hence, the patient shouldn’t eat or drink nearly 12 hours prior to the procedure. It is absolutely necessary to inform your doctor about any medications you take including iron, aspirin, bismuth subsalicylate products and other “over-the-counter” medications. Any allergies you might have must also be discussed with the doctor. There is some preparation involved here. The patient must wear a sensor device applied to your abdomen with adhesive sleeves (looks like a tape).

You will be able to drink clear liquids after two hours and eat a light meal after four hours following the capsule ingestion, unless your doctor instructs you otherwise. Usually the results come within a week, but some tests may take longer.

History tells us that an Israeli physician named Dr. Gavriel Iddan, was the first to come with the idea of fitting a camera into a pill back in 1981. But it took 20 years of development so that technology can catch up with the doctor’s idea. Probably it sounds like a sci-fi move to you, but this is as real as it gets. The capsule weights about 4 grams and is with the size of 11 x 26 mm (the size of a large vitamin). It consist of a color video camera and wireless radiofrequency transmitter, 4 LED lights, and enough battery power to take 50,000 color images during an 8-hour journey through the digestive tract. Because the stomach produces acids, the capsule is made of specially sealed biocompatible material that is resistant to acid and powerful digestive enzymes.

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