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GIPrevention Home | Contact Information8631 W. 3rd St. #1015-E
Los Angeles,CA 90048 Phone: 310-652-4472 Fax: 310-358-2266 askdrleo@giprevention.com |
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GIPrevention Home | Contact Information8631 W. 3rd St. #1015-E
Los Angeles,CA 90048 Phone: 310-652-4472 Fax: 310-358-2266 askdrleo@giprevention.com |
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What is the procedure for a patient using the PillCam SB?
How long does a procedure with the PillCam SB take?
How long is the recovery time after taking the PillCam SB?
How is the PillCam SB removed from the body?
What is the size of the capsule?
What are the traditional detection methods for the small bowel?
How does PillCam SB procedure compare to traditional methods?
How effective is the PillCam SB in diagnosing small bowel diseases?
How prevalent are diseases such as Crohn's & small bowel cancers?
Where can someone find more info about the PillCam SB?
An ingestible capsule device equipped with a miniature video camera to visualize the small intestine.
The smooth plastic capsule has a miniature video camera. It is equipped with a light source, batteries, a radio transmitter and antenna. After it is swallowed, the PillCam SB transmits approximately 50,000 images over the course of an 8 hour period (about 2 images per second) to a DataRecorder fixed to a belt worn around the patient’s waist. The small bowel images are then downloaded into a RAPID® workstation computer where a physician can view the images on video monitors and make a diagnosis.
Apatient fasts for 10 hours prior to the exam, then swallows the PillCam SB with a sip of water. Images and data are acquired as the PillCam SB Capsule passes through the digestive system over an 8 hour period. This information is then transmitted via an array of sensors to the DataRecorder™ affixed to a belt worn around the patient's waist.
Approximately eight hours.
Recovery is immediate. A patient can return to a normal routine right away.
The disposable capsule makes its way through the rest of the gastrointestinal tract and is then passed naturally and painlessly from the body, usually within 24 hours.
The capsule is 11mm x 26mm and weighs less than 4 grams.
Endoscopy and radiological imaging.In endoscopy, the physician inserts an endoscope, a flexible tube and optical system approximately 3.5 feet long, through the patient's mouth. Typically, this procedure will include sedation and recovery time.
During a radiological imaging examination, the patient swallows a contrast medium (such as barium), or a dense liquid that coats the internal organs to make them appear on x-ray film. The procedure produces a series of black and white x-ray images of the lumen, or cavity, of the small intestine.
The PillCam SB procedure does not require sedation and can be administered in a doctor’s office. Studies have shown patients undergoing the PillCam SB procedure have a much higher level of satisfaction, as it is convenient, comfortable, and recovery is immediate.
The PillCam SB is considered the gold standard for detecting diseases of the small bowel such as Crohn’s disease and obscure bleeding. Additionally, recent research shows the PillCam SB to have gold standard accuracy in detecting small bowel tumors and that the majority (65 percent) of small bowel tumors discovered were malignant.
IBD or Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a family of chronic diseases affecting the intestines. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis both fall under the same umbrella and were once believed to be the same disease. Patients with IBD experience such symptoms as persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain or cramps, fever and weight loss, and joint, skin, or eye irritations in varying degrees. Some may not experience all of them. Patients may also experience cycles of remission and relapse as the disease progresses.
While Crohn’s disease is rarely fatal, there is no cure. Instead, doctors focus on treating the symptoms. If left untreated, symptoms may worsen, and health problems such as abscesses, obstruction, malnutrition, and anemia may occur.
According to American Gastrointestinal Association data, approximately 19 million of Americans suffer from various disorders of the small intestine, including bleeding, Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and small bowel cancers. Of these 19 million people, approximately 500,000 people suffer from Crohn’s disease
By visiting www.PillCam.com.
