What is a Capsule Endoscopy?

Capsule endoscopy helps your Charleston GI doctor evaluate the part of the bowel that cannot be reached by traditional upper endoscopy or by colonoscopy.

The procedure utilizes a pill-sized capsule camera. Once swallowed, travels through the digestive tract. The camera transmits images along the way, giving your GI doctor a unique view that is used in the detection and diagnosis of the following:

• Cause of unexplained bleeding in the small intestine
• Polyps
• Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease)
• Ulcers
• Tumors of the small intestine
• Cause of abdominal pain

Schedule Appointment | No Referral Needed

How to Prep For A Capsule Endoscopy

Your Charleston GI nurse or doctor will provide you with preparation instructions before the procedure. With a higher standard of caring as our goal at Charleston GI, our team will make you feel at ease – and answer any pre-procedure questions you may have!

Here are some steps that may be recommended:

• Maintain a clear liquid diet the day before your capsule endoscopy.
• Stop eating or drinking 10 to 12 hours before the procedure.
• Take a laxative to clear your GI tract and improve photo quality.
• Skip certain medications that may cause camera interference.

What To Expect During Your Procedure

Firstly, after the sensor array is applied to your abdomen using adhesive sleeves, the capsule endoscope will be ingested with water. It then passes through your digestive tract naturally while transmitting video images to a data recorder worn on a belt for approximately eight hours.

Then, following the capsule ingestion, unless your physician instructs you otherwise, you will be permitted to drink clear liquids after two hours and eat a light meal after four hours. You will need to avoid vigorous physical activity, such as running or jumping, during the study. After ingesting the capsule and until it is excreted, you should not have a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination or be near an MRI machine.

After Your Procedure 

You will need to return to Charleston GI to return the data recorder and sensor array so that the images acquired during your exam can be downloaded to a workstation for review. After the GI doctor has looked at this video, you will be contacted with the results.

Importantly, the capsule is disposable and almost always passes naturally with your bowel movement without pain or discomfort. If you have a fever after the test, trouble swallowing or increasing chest or abdominal pain, call us immediately.

Schedule Your Appointment Today!

Charleston GI provides quality care close to home, with four convenient locations and three state-licensed endoscopy centers – and a team of board-certified gastroenterologists dedicated to serving you!

As the largest independent gastroenterology practice in the Lowcountry, locals know where to go when they are feeling less than their best. Our qualified GI specialists are equipped to treat a variety of GI disorders, assessing symptoms and other health risk factors to provide much-needed relief.

We have also made prevention a priority. Charleston GI’s open-access colonoscopy program allows patients to get the colon cancer screenings they need. And you can conveniently schedule a colonoscopy without a referral.

Our GI specialist would love to hear from you! To learn more about capsule endoscopy in Charleston, schedule an appointment. Or please give us a call at 843-722-8000. No referral is needed!

Ready to Visit? Summerville | Carnes Crossroads | Mt Pleasant | Charleston