Pill Video Camera Works Well in Elderly

In 2003 researchers found a new way to receive images of a live human bowel and GI tract without a snaking probe/camera. This primitive design involved the patient swallowing a pill-like capsule with the camera inside. In 2005 the 20,000 images became a continuous feed in the refined video camera capsule. Useful in both studying the bowel and GI tract and diagnosing cancerous tumors, the technique is becoming increasingly popular. Unfortunately, there were questions on whether age had an affect on the patient’s ability to safely swallow and process the capsule in the bowels.



In October 2008, examinations in Greece have shown that the successful video camera-in-a-capsule technique is not compromised by increased age. Dr. Angelos A. Papadopoulos from Attikon University General Hospital, Athens describes their study of video-capsule endoscopy in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.



The study involved 120 video-capsule examinations, 32 in patients younger than 40, 36 in patients between the ages of 40 and 64, and 52 in patients aged 65 years or older. "Our study showed for the first time that there is no excess of incomplete video-capsule endoscopy examinations in the elderly," the team reports. The completion rate of the examinations was similar for each of the three groups (around 80%) and differing only by 3%; furthermore, the capsule’s travel rate through the intestines was similar for the three groups as well.



The study also revealed four tumors – all of which were in the elderly group. From this, and the knowledge that more lesions are seen as age increased, suggests that the elderly are "the group of patients that benefits more from the examination," the investigators point out.



They conclude, based on their study, that older patients can undergo video-capsule endoscopy "without concerns over increased complications or suboptimal results due to preparation or motility issues."



SOURCE: American Journal of Gastroenterology, October 2008.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70821.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3606947/

Rebecca Rulla
Section 502