The PillCam COLON video capsule measures 11 mm X 31 mm and contains an imaging device at each end. It captures 4 images per second during the 10-hour procedure.
PillCam COLON was cleared for marketing in the European Union in October 2006 and Israel in February 2008. The video capsule was initially developed to help physician’s visualize the colon and is currently being used for patient’s that have had an incomplete colonoscopy, are contraindicated for a colonoscopy or prefer not to have a colonoscopy. Multi-center clinical trials are underway in Europe.
How the Procedure Works
Preparation for the PillCam COLON procedure is similar to a traditional colonoscopy. A patient is on a liquid diet the day before and takes laxatives the night before the procedure. The following morning the patient arrives at the physician’s office where they are prepped for the procedure. This includes attaching the sensor array to the patient’s abdomen and the data recorder to a belt around the patient’s waist. Once these tasks have been completed the patient will be given a glass of water to help swallow the vitamin-sized pill. The patient can resume daily activities once he or she has successfully swallowed the PillCam video capsule. After ten hours the patient returns to the physician’s office to return the device and the pill passes naturally with a bowel movement usually within 24 hours.
Images are downloaded by the physician to the Given workstation for review and diagnosis. The proprietary RAPID software installed on the workstation contains an image atlas to help facilitate the analysis.