Capsule Endoscopy

Thanks to technological advancements in recent years, a new procedure at Ogden Clinic called capsule endoscopy is making strides in diagnosing small intestine and esophageal conditions. The wireless capsule, called Pillcam, is a tiny, ingestible camera that snaps two color images per second while it travels through the patient’s GI tract.

The PillCam capsule allows your Ogden Clinic gastroenterologist to see your entire small intestine – an organ you could never fully see before capsule endoscopy was developed. It helps to determine the cause of many unresolved symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, bleeding or anemia. Capsule endoscopy is also an alternative to traditional endoscopy for some candidates with GERD, esophagitis, Barretts esophagus, and other esophageal conditions.

Preparing for Capsule Endoscopy at Ogden Clinic

You will need to fast for eight to ten hours before your capsule endoscopy to clear your digestive tract and help the Pillcam record the best images possible. Abstain from smoking for 24 hours before your capsule endoscopy and do not take any medication two hours prior.

When you arrive for capsule endoscopy, your Ogden Clinic gastroenterologist will strap a receiver to your body which you’ll wear for the whole procedure. Simply swallow the Pillcam, which is a bit larger than a multivitamin. Once swallowed, the capsule begins transmitting images of the inside of the esophagus, stomach, and small bowel to a receiver strapped to the patient’s abdomen. The capsule takes approximately 55,000 total images.

After eight hours, you’ll return the receiver to your Ogden Clinic doctor who un-straps the sensors and downloads the capsule endoscopy information to a computer. Your gastroenterologist will review the images, checking for abnormalities that are possible sources of bleeding.

You’ll pass the capsule through a bowel movement two to three days later. There is no need to retrieve the Pillcam; it can be discarded.

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