Capsule Endoscopy
Wireless Video Capsule Endoscopy (capsule endoscopy) is a non-invasive technology designed to image the small intestine. The capsule contains a battery, a camera, and a transmitter to send images to a recording device that is within a box outside of the patient’s body. The primary indications for capsule endoscopy are to evaluate the site of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. That is bleeding that remains undefined after colonoscopy and EGD. This test can also be used to diagnosis difficult cases of Crohn’s disease, localized to the small intestine, and small bowel tumors.
In preparation, there is a fast for 12 hours before the examination. Some providers recommend a bowel preparation similar to colonoscopy before capsule endoscopy, however, recent studies suggest minimal benefit from this approach.
The video capsule is swallowed with water. Following capsule ingestion, clear liquids may be taken after two hours and food within four hours.
What is Capsule Endoscopy..?
Capsule Endoscopy is a diagnostic tool which consists of a wireless camera inside a pill. It is a painless and non-invasive tool that provides images of the small intestine. The capsule is swallowed and it travels along the oesophagus, stomach, to the small intestine. It captures tens of thousands of images that get recorded on a hard disk worn as a belt by the patient.
The pill is excreted with the faeces. The images are then examined by the doctor to determine disorders or abnormalities of the small intestine.
Capsule endoscopy (en DOS-skuh-pee) enables the physician to look inside the small intestine. The procedure might be used to discover a source of bleeding suspected to be in the small bowel, diagnose Crohn’s disease or look for small bowel tumors or changes of celiac disease.
For the procedure you will swallow a small capsule, about the size of a vitamin tablet. This will transmit images to storage device that you wear. Right before the procedure the nurse will attach a sensor array to your abdomen using sticky pads similar to those used for an EKG of your heart. 
A sash containing a data recorder is then worn. The capsule transmits images of the small bowel to the hard drive over the course of 8 hours, so the physician can carefully examine the lining of the small intestine. The test is begun in the morning and you are able to leave the physicians office, returning in the afternoon to drop off the sash. The process is completely painless and the capsule does not need to be retrieved, passing naturally in the next few days. The physician then uses special software to create a movie from the images obtained which is then reviewed.
A possible complication of capsule endoscopy is capsule retention. This occurs rarely in patients with intestinal strictures, either from past inflammatory intestinal diseases or bowel resections. However, this complication is very uncommon. Most people will not notice the capsule at all. No sedation is needed.