The development of increasingly advanced technology, including in medicine, has resulted in various innovations to facilitate disease detection. One of them is the capsule endoscopy which is a choice for assessing the condition of the gastrointestinal tract and even the small intestine.

Dr. Tjahjadi Robert Tedjasaputra, consultant of gastroenterohepatology, explained that capsule endoscopy is an endoscopic examination procedure. The procedure uses a capsule containing a camera and a small light consumed by the patient. This procedure is usually used to examine the small intestine because it is a part that is difficult to reach with a conventional endoscope.

The purpose of capsule endoscopy is to help diagnose disorders of the digestive tract, such as lesions, polyps, IBD, and tumors.

The procedure of capsule endoscopy

There are several steps that a patient needs to take before a capsule endoscopy procedure. First, the patient must fast for approximately 6 hours before the procedure. Second, the endoscopy capsule is swallowed by the patient and will work on the digestive tract and work to take pictures of the inside of the patient’s digestive tract. After the endoscope capsule enters the body, the patient will be monitored by a signal receiver in charge of taking pictures.

Finally, the natural disposal of the endoscopy capsule when the patient has a bowel movement. Usually, patients can remove the endoscope capsule two to three days after swallowing the endoscope capsule.

This procedure is usually painless and takes 10 hours or more for monitoring, depending on the part of the body examined, especially the small intestine.

Before carrying out a capsule endoscopy procedure, patients should consult with a doctor to get more precise information about the conditions and risks that may occur, especially in patients with a history of heart disease or who have certain implants in the body.

Source:

Tribunnews. (2023). Mengenal Kapsul Endoskopi untuk Diagnosis Penyakit Dalam Usus Halus. Retrieved July 28, 2023. From: https://www.tribunnews.com/kesehatan/2023/06/14/mengenal-kapsul-endoskopi-untuk-diagnosis-penyakit-dalam-usus-halus?page=all

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