Introduction: Capsule endoscopy allows for the first time total and painless imaging of the entire small bowel. The main indication for capsule endoscopy is obscure gastrointestinal bleeding which not explained by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, colonoscopy and small bowel radiology. Capsule endoscopy has also the capacity to detect tiny small bowel manifestations of other pathologic conditions such as Crohns's disease.
Method and aims: The GivenM2A wireless capsule endoscopy system for investigation of the whole small bowel was developed in the late 1990s. The small size swallowable capsule contains a miniature video camera, four light sources, two batteries and a radiotransmitter. This paper describes the capsule endoscopy examination method and summerizes the initial achievements from two medical centres, the Petz Aladár County and Teaching Hospital and from the Malmö University Hospital.
Results: 42 patients were included of whom 37 patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. Pathological small bowel findings were detected in 62% of the all cases, and the source of bleeding was identified by the M2A capsule in 56.7% of the chronic bleeders. The diagnostic sensitivity of the capsule endoscopy in obscure gastrointestinal bleedings was superior both to that of push enteroscopy, 19%, and enterography, 6.7%. The capsule endoscopy was well tolerated and accepted by the patients.
Conclusions: This new diagnostic method is promising mainly for detection of a small bowel source of obscure bleedings. The availability of the method in major gastroenterological centers is strongly recommended.