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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) Pillcam Capsule which will pass naturally through your digestive system while taking pictures of the intestine. The images (pictures) are transmitted to small sensors which are placed on your abdomen. The sensors are attached to a walkman-like DataRecorder which saves all the images. It is located on the RecorderBelt, which is worn around your waist. After a few hours, you will remove the RecorderBelt and return it to your physician for processing. The Pillcam 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 clear liquid diet your physician prescribed.
  2. From 10 p.m. the evening before Capsule Endoscopy, do not eat or drink except for necessary medication with a sip of water.
  3. Do not take any medication beginning 2 hours before undergoing Capsule Endoscopy.
  4. Abstain from smoking 24 hours prior to undergoing Capsule Endoscopy.
  5. Male patient should shave their abdomen 6 inches (15cm) above and below the navel on the day of the examination. 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 the annex office located at: 8015 Shoal Creek Blvd., Suite 300 at : _________AM for your Capsule Endoscopy dressed in loose fitting, two-piece clothing.
  2. At the annex office, you will have a pre-procedure interview the morning of your procedure by the Pillcam Nurse. During this interview you will 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 sensors 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 Pillcam Capsule and drink 1-2 glasses of water.

After ingesting the Pillcam Capsule

  1. After ingesting the Pillcam Capsule, do not eat or drink for at least 2 hours. At the end of the 2nd hour, you may take your morning medications with a small amount of water.
  1. 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 Pillcam 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 may last anywhere from 4-6 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 movements 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, your activity and unusual sensations. Return the Event Form with these notes to your physician at the time you return the equipment.
  6. Avoid any strenuous physical activity, especially if it involves sweating and do not bend over or stoop during Capsule Endoscopy.

After completing Capsule Endoscopy

  1. You will be instructed by the Pillcam Nurse on how to return the equipment at the end of Capsule Endoscopy.
  2. Do not pull the leads of the sensors or try to remove the sensors yourself.
  3. The DataRecorder stores the images of your examination. (Handle the DataRecorder, RecorderBelt, sensors, and Battery Pack carefully). Do not expose them to shock, vibration or direct sunlight, which may result in loss of information. Return all of the equipment to the office as directed.
  4. If you did not positively verify the excretion of the Pillcam Capsule from your body, and you develop unexplained post procedure nausea, abdominal pain or vomiting, contact your physician at 458-1121 (Medical Exchange) for evaluation and possible abdominal X-ray examination.
  5. Undergoing an MRI while the capsule is inside your body may result in serious damage to your intestinal tract or abdominal cavity. If you did not positively verify the excretion of the Pillcam Capsule from your body, you should contact your physician for evaluation and possible abdominal X-ray before undergoing an MRI examination.

Note: Below is the link to the instruction sheet for preparing for a Pillcam procedure and a Pillcam event sheet. These forms are provided online for your convenience, just in case you misplace the form you received from the doctor's office, prior to your procedure. If you have lost the original and must download and print this form, please call your doctor's office for special instructions and assistance in filling it out.

Pillcam Instructions

Pillcam Capsule Endoscopy Post Examination Instructions Form

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© 2004 Austin Gastroenterology * Updated 3/26/05