Pacific Specialist Healthcare (PSH) has launched a new pill camera designed for patients in the country. The organization’s director and CEO, Parvish Kumar, confirmed that this innovative capsule endoscopy system has been successfully introduced.
The capsule is a small, ingestible device that enables physicians to visualize the small bowel, which is the segment of the intestine connecting the stomach to the large intestine. This technology plays a crucial role in diagnosing and monitoring various digestive conditions.
The procedure involves the patient swallowing a capsule roughly the size of a large vitamin. Kumar highlighted that capsule endoscopy offers a non-invasive method for doctors at Pacific Specialist Healthcare Hospital to see the small bowel, a region typically inaccessible through standard endoscopy methods. The capsule features a miniature camera and light that captures images of the small intestine as it moves through the patient’s digestive system.
These images are wirelessly transmitted to a recorder worn on the patient’s body via a sensor belt. PSH is pioneering the use of this wireless recorder belt among its patients.
Capsule endoscopy is particularly effective for various conditions, including:
– Identifying the source of bleeding in the small bowel, which is the primary reason for the procedure.
– Diagnosing inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
– Screening for polyps and diagnosing cancer, by looking for potential tumors in the digestive system.
Bowel cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, following lung cancer in some regions.
In a Q&A segment about the procedure, it was explained that the initial visit to Pacific Specialist Healthcare Hospital takes around 30 minutes to set up. After the sensor belt is attached and the capsule is swallowed, patients can resume their regular activities as the test lasts a few hours.
Once the recorder and sensors are returned to the hospital, the images will be transferred to a computer for the doctors to review in color video format. Patients will then be contacted with their results.
Regarding patient comfort, it was noted that there should be no pain or discomfort associated with swallowing the capsule or during its passage through the gastrointestinal tract. The capsule is disposable and is naturally excreted in the bowel movement.