A capsule endoscopy involves swallowing a vitamin-sized capsule containing a tiny camera. This camera captures images as it travels through the digestive tract. This non-invasive tool primarily visualizes the small bowel, an area traditional endoscopes often cannot easily reach. The procedure helps medical professionals identify conditions like bleeding sources, inflammatory bowel diseases, or tumors, by providing thousands of detailed images of the intestinal lining.
Understanding Typical Passage Time
Capsule endoscopy passage time varies significantly among individuals. On average, the capsule travels through the entire gastrointestinal tract and is excreted within 24 hours. Small bowel transit time, the period the capsule spends in the small intestine, commonly ranges from two to six hours.
While recording typically lasts about eight hours, the capsule may pass sooner or take several days to be fully excreted. For instance, gastric transit time, the time it spends in the stomach, is often around 22 minutes but can range widely.
Factors Affecting Capsule Transit
Several physiological and external factors can influence the speed at which a capsule endoscopy moves through the digestive system. An individual’s digestive motility, or the natural movement of the gut, plays a significant role. Conditions that alter this motility, such as gastroparesis, can slow down the capsule’s transit through the stomach and small bowel.
The presence of narrow areas, known as strictures, or inflammatory conditions like Crohn’s disease, can also impede the capsule’s passage. Certain medications, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, which are used for diabetes and weight management, have been observed to significantly prolong gastric transit time and may also affect small bowel transit. Patient characteristics like age and body mass index (BMI) can also influence transit times, with older age sometimes associated with slower small bowel transit.
Identifying Capsule Passage
Patients typically confirm the capsule’s passage when it is excreted during a bowel movement. The capsule is generally small enough to pass naturally and is visible in the stool. There is usually no need to retrieve the capsule, as it is disposable and can be safely flushed down the toilet unless specific instructions are given by a doctor.
Some recording devices have an indicator light that stops blinking once the capsule has passed, signaling test completion. Even if the capsule is not observed, it usually passes without issue. If the capsule has not appeared after a day or two, medical professionals generally advise against concern, as passage can sometimes take longer.
When to Contact Your Doctor
It is important to contact your doctor if the capsule endoscopy does not pass within an expected timeframe, or if you experience concerning symptoms. While many capsules pass unnoticed, retention, where the capsule remains in the digestive tract for an extended period, can occur, though it is infrequent. This is defined as the capsule remaining in the tract for at least two weeks.
You should seek medical attention if symptoms such as new or worsening abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, or bloating develop after the procedure. These symptoms could indicate that the capsule has become lodged, potentially due to a narrowing or obstruction in the intestine. Prompt reporting of these signs allows for appropriate medical evaluation and intervention to prevent potential complications.