The PillCam ESO video capsule measures 11 mm x 26 mm and weighs less than 4 grams. It contains an imaging device and light source at both ends of the video capsule and takes up to 14 images per second as it passes down the esophagus during the procedure.
PillCam ESO was initially cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in November 2004. It was developed for patients suffering from esophageal disorders, such as esophageal varices, which can result in fatal bleeding, and Barrett's esophagus, which is an early indication for esophageal cancer.
The Company's next generation esophageal video capsule, PillCam ESO 2, was cleared for marketing by U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May 2007. It is the same size as the PillCam ESO video capsule but has a wider angle of view, automatic light control now captures images at a rate of 18 frames per second or 30% more images over PillCam ESO.
How the Procedure Works
A patient fasts for two hours prior to arriving at the physician's office. Upon arriving at the physician’s office, patients follow a Simplified Ingestion Procedure (SIP). While standing, the patient drinks 100 mL of water. The patient then lies on his/her right side, swallows the PillCam ESO video capsule and takes one sip of water every thirty seconds for seven minutes. After seven minutes, the patient sits upright, drinks another sip of water and waits for thirty seconds. The total procedure takes approximately thirty minutes and can be performed in the doctor’s office, hospital, or clinic.
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.