Detachable string magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy for complete viewing of the esophagus and stomach.

Background: Esophageal capsule endoscopy is reported to be insufficiently accurate to replace esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) because the passage of the capsule through the esophagus is passive and precludes a thorough investigation. We developed a modified capsule endoscopy technique, called detachable string magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy (DS-MCE), and performed a pilot study to assess the feasibility and safety of this novel technique.
Methods: 4 healthy volunteers and 21 patients with suspected esophageal disease first underwent DS-MCE followed by EGD within 1 week. Outcomes included technical success of DS-MCE, adverse events, discomfort, and diagnostic accuracy.
Results: DS-MCE was successfully carried out in all 25 participants. No adverse events were observed. Mean overall discomfort score during DS-MCE was 0.96 (range 0 - 3). DS-MCE diagnoses were in accordance with EGD in all 25 participants. The per-patient sensitivity of DS-MCE for esophageal disease detection was 100 %. The accuracy of DS-MCE for grading esophageal varices and reflux esophagitis were 66.7 % and 100 %, respectively.
Conclusions: DS-MCE was a feasible, safe, and well-tolerated method for viewing the esophagus and proceeding with gastric examination after string detachment.
Competing Interests: None
(© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)