Capsule Endoscopy
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Patient Instructions for Undergoing Capsule Endoscopy
Your physician has determined that as part of your medical evaluation you should undergo an examination known as Capsule Endoscopy. This procedure involves ingesting a small (the size of a large vitamin pill) Given® Imaging M2A® Capsule which will pass naturally through your digestive system while taking pictures of the intestine. The images are transmitted to the SensorArray™ which is placed on your abdomen.
The SensorArray™ is attached to a walkman-like Given® DataRecorder™ and return it to your physician for processing. The M2A® Capsule is disposable and will be excreted naturally in your bowel movement. In the rare case that it will not be excreted naturally, it will need to be removed endoscopically or surgically. In order for your physician to get the most accurate information from this examination, you will need to follow the
instructions below:
The Day before Capsule Endoscopy
1. After lunch on the day before the Capsule Endoscopy examination, start the liquid diet as instructed.
2. From 8pm the evening before Capsule Endoscopy, do not eat or drink except for necessary medication with a sip of water. Drink 2L of Trilyte or Halflytely at 8pm.
3. Do not take any medications beginning 2 hours before undergoing Capsule Endoscopy.
4. Abstain from smoking 24 hours prior to undergoing Capsule Endoscopy.
5. Male patients should shave their entire front abdomen from navel bone to the hip bone. If it is difficult for you to shave your abdomen, please contact your physician’s office to arrange to have this done in advance.
Day of Capsule Endoscopy
1. Arrive at your physician’s office at the prescribed time for your Capsule Endoscopy dressed in loose fitting, two-piece clothing.
2. At your physician’s office, you will have a pre-procedure interview. During this interview you should be informed that Capsule Endoscopy is associated with a small chance of intestinal obstruction. You will be checked-in and asked to give your informed consent.
3. The SensorArray™ will be applied to your abdomen with adhesive pads and will be connected to the DataRecorder™ which you will wear in a belt around your waist. After that you will be instructed to ingest the M2A® Capsule.
After ingesting the M2A® Capsule
1. After ingesting the M2A® Capsule, do not eat or drink for at least 2 hours. After 4 hours, you may have a light snack. After the examination is completed, you may return to your normal diet. The above instructions related to eating apply, unless your physician specifies otherwise. Contact your physician immediately if you suffer from any abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting during Capsule Endoscopy.
2. After ingesting the M2A® Capsule and until it is excreted, you should not be near any source of powerful electromagnetic fields such as one created near an MRI device or amateur (ham) radio.
3. Occasionally, some images may be lost due to radio interference (e.g. from amateur radio transmitter, MRI, etc.) On rare occasions, this may result in the need to repeat the Capsule Endoscopy examination.
In this case, the physician will advise you to stay within the premises of the clinic during the Capsule Endoscopy to prevent this problem from recurring.
4. Capsule Endoscopy lasts approximately 8 hours and is considered complete according to your physician’s instructions. Do not disconnect the equipment or remove the belt at any time during this period. Since the DataRecorder™ is actually a small computer, it should be treated with utmost care and protection. Avoid sudden movement and banging of the DataRecorder™.
5. During Capsule Endoscopy, you will need to verify every 15 minutes that the small light on top of the DataRecorder™ is blinking twice per second. If, for some reason it stops blinking at this rate, record the time and contact your physician. You should also record the time and nature of any event such as eating, drinking, etc…