Capsule Endoscopy Periprocedural Care

Updated: Jan 19, 2022
  • Author: Ruben Peralta, MD, FACS, FCCM, FCCP; Chief Editor: John Geibel, MD, MSc, DSc, AGAF  more...
  • Print
Periprocedural Care

Patient Preparation

Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) is noninvasive, is well tolerated by patients, [65] requires no anesthesia or sedation, and allows patients to remain ambulatory during evaluation. Minimal preparation is required [25] ; abdominal plain films should be obtained beforehand if stricture or obstruction is suspected. [19, 46]

Although capsule endoscopy is a diagnostic modality and therefore does not allow therapeutic interventions, it may be used to plan definitive surgical treatment in some conditions (eg, certain cases of occult gastrointestinal bleeding). [25]