During the recording phase of capsule endoscopy, there are no special rules to follow other than a slightly reduced diet. The patient can behave and move completely naturally.
After the camera capsule has passed through the gastrointestinal tract, it is naturally excreted in the bathroom. This usually occurs after about 9–14 hours, but in some cases it may take several days.
At the doctor’s office or clinic, a video is created on a computer from the thousands of individual photos. The specialist then evaluates this video. If bleeding is present, the footage can show the location of the bleeding. Capsule endoscopy can be a valuable tool for diagnosing Crohn’s disease, as well as tumors and polyps.
Capsule endoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that offers many advantages for the patient. The only prerequisites for a successful examination are
- a functioning swallowing reflex and
- bowel segments that are completely patent and free of narrowings where the capsule could become stuck.
However, these conditions are thoroughly assessed before capsule endoscopy.
Risk factors that preclude capsule endoscopy therefore include
- severe swallowing difficulties,
- severe constipation (for example, caused by certain medications or diabetes),
- intestinal obstruction (mechanical ileus),
- adhesions in the intestine that narrow the bowel,
- deep diverticula in the small intestine.
Capsule endoscopy is a very minimally invasive procedure. It benefits patients who have unexplained abdominal symptoms or who are reluctant to undergo a conventional colonoscopy.
As a precise diagnostic tool, capsule endoscopy provides very good insights into the individual course of the disease. The advantages of capsule endoscopy at a glance:
- non-invasive, painless, and gentle examination procedure,
- no radiation exposure,
- no hospital stay required,
- no sedatives or tranquilizers,
- no contrast agents,
- Examination of the entire small intestine is only possible with capsule endoscopy,
- Cancer screening with a low barrier to entry.
Capsule endoscopy is an innovative yet now well-established diagnostic tool for the digestive tract. It provides a unique view of the small intestine and is comparable to colonoscopy for examining the large intestine.
One disadvantage of capsule endoscopy is that it serves a purely diagnostic purpose. Unlike with colonoscopy, doctors cannot perform any procedures on suspicious tissue changes during the examination.
During a colonoscopy, on the other hand, doctors can remove colon polyps and take tissue samples while the procedure is still in progress. Capsule endoscopy can detect suspicious areas, but a conventional colonoscopy is then necessary to perform any intervention.
The issue of cost coverage by health insurance providers has not yet been definitively resolved.
In cases of unexplained intestinal bleeding (“unexplained mid-intestinal bleeding”), health insurance companies may cover the costs. However, certain criteria must be met if the capsule endoscopy is performed on an outpatient basis.
Patients should therefore discuss reimbursement with their doctor before undergoing a capsule endoscopy. In individual cases, reimbursement may be obtained from the insurance provider upon prior application. Capsule endoscopies performed as part of a hospital stay are billed by the hospital using flat-rate fees.
In summary, capsule endoscopy is an excellent way to thoroughly examine the entire intestinal tract, particularly the small intestine. Inflammatory bowel diseases or causes of bleeding in the small intestine can thus be diagnosed almost imperceptibly.
Capsule endoscopy should also be regarded as a milestone in medical technology for colorectal cancer screening.
