Colon Capsule Endoscopy is a test that records a video of the interior of the colon, allowing prevention and diagnosis of diseases of this organ without having to perform a normal colonoscopy or administer sedation.
It is an effective, very low-risk exam that also allows you to see the esophagus, stomach and the entire small intestine (the entire digestive tube!).
If you need a colonoscopy for diagnosis but you don’t want to do it or you are afraid of the risks, Colon capsule endoscopy is an alternative
Also is a option for colorectal cancer screening
How the colon capsule endoscopy is done?
Video Capsule Colonoscopy is a high-tech capsule or pill device that has two HD cameras on each side. It is PillCam brand and marketed by the multinational Medtronic.
I am going to tell you the steps for a Colon Capsule Endoscopy procedure:
1. Schedule your appointment. We will reserve the Pillcam which will be exclusive to you
2. The night before and the morning of the exam you will take the prep
3. At the agreed time you will come to our Colonoscopy Center
4. Catalina will put a wide belt over your clothes, in which a tape recorder data and very thin cables
5. Open the PillCam COLON 2 capsule case. Doing so will activate and start recording.
6. You take the capsule with a glass of water. This is very small, it measures about 3 centimeters and you can easily pass it despite the impression it gives you.
The capsule starts recording a video of the digestive tract and sends the data to the recorder. You will be in my center for a while until we give note that the capsule has passed from the stomach to the small intestine. We do this by looking at the small screen of the data recorder. This may take a few minutes but sometimes it takes a little longer
7. After it has reached the small intestine you will take a small dose of a laxative (Usually travad) to accelerate the passage of the device through the intestines and to improve the preparation. Once this is done we will tell you what you can eat and when to start.
You will go home or work and return when you feel that the capsule fell to the toilet or at a fixed time that we agreed.
While the capsule completes the exam you can continue with your normal life taking care that it does not come loose or let go of the belt or tape recorder. It will take care that these are not going to hit or lose.
The entire route of the capsule on average takes about 5 hours but there are patients who expel it in 2 or 3 hours
8. When you return we will remove everything. We download the information to a computer so that I can carefully review and make the report which is usually within 48 hours.
Advantages of Colon Capsule Endoscopy
Minimally invasive: You are not going to see a needle or have a colonoscope inserted.
Low risks: You will avoid the risks of sedation and colonoscopy.
Reliable: Colonoscopy is the most recommended for prevention and diagnosis of colon diseases but when this cannot be done, the most advisable thing is to do a capsule colonoscopy because you can see directly inside this organ.
More complete: In addition to the colon we will examine the small intestine which is an organ of about 8 meters that very few people have the possibility to be examined
You will have a diagnosis despite fear.
Disadvantages
You have to take laxatives in prep. It is necessary for the Colon to be clean and the Pillcam to have the better pictures.
It´s impossible to take biopsies or remove a polyp.
There are few risks but they exist. The capsule can get caught in an obstruction, not leave the stomach, go into the airway
Besides there are few cases in which the exam is incomplete
Still it´s an option to examine your colon
Schedule your appointment for Colon capsule endoscopy. Call us at 📲 3207571313 or write to us on WhatsApp
Continue to us at https://endoscopiaycolonoscopia.com/en/
Greetings,
Mauricio González Hernández
Your Gastroenterologist in Medellín
