Capsule Endoscopy

Recently, Borland-Groover Clinic physicians have added a new diagnostic tool to help our patients. Called Capsule Endoscopy, a patient swallows a small pill which emits a radio frequency which is picked up by a sensor that the patient wears over several hours. Images are then down loaded as a continuous movie and burned onto a DVD. The doctor than views the DVD looking for an explanation for the patients problem. At present, this technique is ideal for patients with suspected GI bleeding within the small bowel, the segment of bowel between the stomach and colon.

The capsule is also being used in patients with unexplained abdominal pain, and for other diagnostic questions that clinicians find useful. This capsule form of endoscopy is not suited for inspection of the colon, and as such, at present, will not replace the need for colonoscopy. Recently, an advanced form of the capsule was incorporated at our clinic which looks specifically at the upper most of the digestive tract, that is the esophagus, and stomach. This new technique may avoid the need for upper endoscopy in certain patients. However, this is not a first-line test, and many insurance companies will not pay for this procedure.