Complications of Video Capsule Endoscopy

Abstract

Purpose: Video capsule endoscopy has become a useful tool for the diagnosis of small bowel pathology otherwise undetected by conventional methods. With the increasing use of capsule endoscopy, surgeons must be aware of the possible complications of its use. We report the outcomes of video capsule endoscopy at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital. Methods: During a 7-month period, 29 patients underwent video capsule endoscopy. There were twenty-four women and five men; mean age was 58 years ranging from 21 to 78 years. Almost all of the patients had unremarkable endoscopic and colonoscopic evaluations. Indications for procedure were anemia (N = 17), melena (N = 6), abdominal pain (N = 4), r/o lymphoma (N = 1) and r/o GVHD (N = 1). Results: Twenty-two patients completed the study without difficulty. Five did not complete the study but were able to pass the capsule afterwards. Two patients required surgical intervention to retrieve retained capsules. The capsules were stuck at ileal strictures secondary to Crohn's disease. There were no perforations and no mortalities. Conclusions: Video capsule endoscopy provides a new alternative for diagnosing small bowel pathology. Although rare, this procedure is not without complications. Retained capsule appears to be the most common complication. It is unknown at this time how long an asymptomatic retained capsule may be left in the bowel. Surgeons need to be aware of these complications in order to deal with them.