Clinical Experience with the PillCam Patency Capsule prior to Video Capsule Endoscopy: A Real-World Experience

Figure 1

Confirmation of patency of the small intestine by using the patency capsule (PC): 38 patients (pts) with an indication for VCE and risk factors for capsule retention (CR) received a PC. In 36 patients complete bowel passage could be confirmed using the PC. Sixteen patients observed natural excretion, 14 of whom before any diagnostic steps concerning possible retention. Only 2 patients showed a pathologic PC: one with suspected Crohn’s disease, who gave positive RFID-scans until 13th day past ingestion, and one with a relapse of an endometrium carcinoma. PC: patency capsule, pts: patients, h: hours, VCE: video capsule endoscopy, CR: capsule retention, RFID: radiofrequency identification, and ø: mean time.