Why It’s Necessary: The small intestine is a long, winding part of the digestive tract that traditional endoscopy and colonoscopy can’t easily reach. A capsule endoscopy is the perfect tool for getting a clear look inside, especially when we need to investigate unexplained bleeding, diagnose Crohn’s disease, or look for ulcers or tumors in the small bowel.

How It’s Done: This is a non-invasive, pill-cam procedure. You simply swallow a vitamin-sized capsule that contains a tiny camera, light source, and battery. As the capsule naturally moves through your digestive system, it takes thousands of pictures of your small intestine. These images are wirelessly transmitted to a small recorder you wear on a belt around your waist. After about eight hours, you return the recorder to us, and we download the images to review. The capsule itself is designed to pass painlessly and naturally in your stool.

Precautions: You will be asked to fast for a specific period before the procedure to ensure the camera can get clear images. It’s important to avoid strenuous activity during the test, as this can affect the quality of the pictures. This procedure is not suitable for patients with pacemakers or other implantable medical devices. We will discuss this with you during your consultation.