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Risks
By Mayo Clinic staffCapsule endoscopy is a safe procedure that carries few risks.
A capsule that becomes lodged in the digestive tract
In most cases, the capsule that contains the tiny camera will leave your body when you have a bowel movement later in the day or within several days. In rare cases, the capsule can become lodged in your digestive tract.
The risk is thought to be small — about 1 percent of people undergoing capsule endoscopy may experience capsule retention. Put another way, this means that for every 100 people who undergo capsule endoscopy, 1 person might still retain the capsule after two weeks. The risk may be slightly higher in people known to have Crohn's disease.
If the capsule hasn't yet passed in a bowel movement and you're not experiencing any signs and symptoms due to capsule retention, your doctor may wait to see whether the capsule will eventually leave your body on its own. Capsules causing signs and symptoms that indicate bowel obstruction must be removed. Depending on where the capsule is stuck, you may need to undergo surgery to remove the capsule. The capsule may also be retrieved using a traditional endoscopy procedure, which involves inserting a long, thin tube equipped with a camera down your throat or up through your rectum.
- Eliakim R. Video capsule endoscopy of the small bowel. Current Opinion in Gastroenterology. 2010;26:129.
- Cave D. Wireless video capsule endoscopy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 26, 2010.
- Kimmey MB. Complications of gastrointestinal endoscopy. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisinger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/linkTo?type=bookHome&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&uniq=200844987-3. Accessed May 26, 2010.
- Understanding capsule endoscopy. American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. http://www.asge.org/PatientInfoIndex.aspx?id=390. Accessed May 25, 2010.
- Preparing for capsule endoscopy. American Gastroenterological Association. http://www.gastro.org/patient-center/procedures/capsule-endoscopy. Accessed May 25, 2010.
- Picco MP (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla. June 15, 2010.
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