Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy

What you should know

• Small bowel capsule endoscopy is a procedure to take pictures of the inside of your small intestine (bowel). Your small bowel connects to your stomach on one end, and your large bowel (colon) on the other. Partly digested food enters your small bowel from your stomach. Your small bowel takes the nutrition out of the food to be used by your body. A capsule endoscopy is done by swallowing a pill size camera. The capsule moves through your stomach and into your small bowel, where pictures are taken.
  
  
• You may need a small bowel capsule endoscopy if you have symptoms, such as blood in your bowel movements (BMs). Symptoms may also include chronic (long-term) stomach pain and diarrhea (liquid BMs). The pictures may show if you have growths, swelling, and bleeding areas in your small bowel. A capsule endoscopy may show if diseases such as Crohn's or celiac disease are causing your symptoms. Having a small bowel capsule endoscopy may help you and your caregiver learn the cause of your symptoms. Learning what is causing your symptoms may allow you to receive needed treatment and prevent further problems.

Care Agreement

You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your caregivers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

Risks

• You may have stomach pain during your procedure. The pictures taken by the capsule may not be clear. The pictures may not show the cause of your symptoms. You may need another endoscopy procedure. The capsule may get trapped in your body if your intestines are narrow or have a blockage. You may need surgery to remove the capsule from your body.
  
  
• If you do not have the capsule endoscopy, you may not learn the cause of your symptoms. Your symptoms, such as stomach pain or diarrhea, may get worse. You may have growths that are, or could become cancer. You may not get proper treatment. If you have bleeding that is not treated, you may lose large amounts of blood. Blood loss may be life-threatening, and you may die. Talk to your caregiver if you have any questions or concerns about your condition, treatment, or care.

Getting Ready

Before your procedure:

• Ask your caregiver if you need to stop using aspirin or any other prescribed or over-the-counter medicine before your procedure or surgery.
  
  
• Bring your medicine bottles or a list of your medicines when you see your caregiver. Tell your caregiver if you are allergic to any medicine. Tell your caregiver if you use any herbs, food supplements, or over-the-counter medicine.
  
  
• You may need a patency test before your procedure to check for narrow areas or blockages in your bowel. The patency test will show if you are at risk for the capsule endoscope getting trapped in your bowel. Ask your caregiver for more information about this or other tests you may need. Write down the date, time, and location of each test.

The night before your procedure:

• You may need to drink a special liquid the night before your procedure that cleans out your bowel. You may not be able to eat or drink anything for 8 to 12 hours before your test. Ask your caregiver for directions about eating and drinking.
  
  

The day of your procedure:

• Write down the correct date, time, and location of your procedure.
  
  
• You or a close family member will be asked to sign a legal document called a consent form. It gives caregivers permission to do the procedure or surgery. It also explains the problems that may happen, and your choices. Make sure all your questions are answered before you sign this form.
  
  
• You may need to drink more liquid that cleans out your bowel before your procedure.
  
  
• You may need to take medicine to decrease the amount of air bubbles in your bowel. You may also be given medicine to help your bowels move and empty better. Tell your caregiver if you are allergic to any medicines.

Treatment

What will happen:

• Small sensors will be taped to the skin on your abdomen (stomach) and connected to a recorder. The sensors transfer the pictures of your small bowel to the recorder. The recorder will be attached to a belt that you wear during the procedure. You will be given the pill-sized capsule endoscope to swallow. If you have problems swallowing, the capsule may be placed into your small intestine with a scope. The scope is a long, bendable tube with a light and camera on one end. Once you swallow the capsule, it will travel through your body the same way your food does. The capsule takes 2 to 3 pictures of your small bowel every second.
  
  
• You may be able to leave the care setting while the pictures are being taken. Your caregiver will tell you when to return. Two hours after swallowing the capsule, you may be able to drink liquids, and take medicines. Four hours after swallowing the capsule, you may also be able to eat a small meal. It will take up to eight hours for the capsule to pass through your small bowel. Caregivers will remove the sensors and recorder when the procedure is complete. The pictures from the recorder will be transferred into a computer.

After your procedure:

Caregivers view the pictures of your small bowel and look for any problems. A caregiver may tell you the results soon after your procedure. You may also get the results of your procedure during a follow-up visit with your caregiver. The capsule should come out of your body in a BM 1 to 2 days after your procedure. You do not need to return the capsule to your caregiver.

Contact a caregiver if

• You cannot make it to your procedure on time.
  
  
• You begin to vomit (throw up).
  
  
• You have a fever.
  
  
• Your symptoms, such as diarrhea or stomach pain, get worse.

Seek Care Immediately if

• You see new, or more blood in your BMs, or your bowel movements look like black tar.
  
  
• Your stomach is swollen and feels hard and sore.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.