The Video Pill Will Replace an Unpleasant Procedure

Discomforting colonoscopy may soon be a thing of the past.

A new development by Israeli inventors will allow the process of intestinal examination using a probe to be replaced with a completely safe and non-discomforting procedure. To conduct an intestinal examination, it will be sufficient to simply swallow a special pill with a built-in mini-video camera.

The new diagnostic equipment was developed by the Israeli company Check-Cap and has already received approval from the American FDA, the organization responsible for overseeing the quality of food and medical drugs.

The new device allows for completely painless intestinal examinations without discomfort, while the diagnostic accuracy is as high as that of a colonoscopy.

Why Intestinal Examination is Necessary

Despite the inconvenience of the colonoscopy procedure, intestinal examinations need to be conducted regularly, especially for people aged fifty and older. The reason is that the risk of developing bowel cancer sharply increases at this age. Approximately five hundred thousand cases of bowel cancer are diagnosed worldwide each year, making this oncological pathology the third most prevalent. Previously, this disease was primarily detected in older individuals; however, there has been an increase in cases of malignant bowel tumours in people aged 20-50.

Colonoscopy is a method that allows for the detection of precancerous forms of neoplasms – polyps – and their timely removal, thereby preventing the patient from being at risk of developing oncological pathology.

However, colonoscopy is an unpleasant procedure during which a probe is inserted into the patient's rectum. Additionally, bowel cleansing must be performed prior to the examination.

The Essence of the New Method

The device developed and released by Check-Cap looks like a regular pill. It contains a mini-video camera that, upon entering the esophagus and then the intestines, captures its condition and possible pathologies, and then transmits the images to a monitor. The video pill does not harm the body; the radiation dose is so low that it is comparable to that received by a passenger on a flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

How the Diagnosis is Conducted

No preliminary preparation, such as bowel cleansing, is required before starting the intestinal examination with the new device. Sensors are attached to the patient's back, after which they swallow the video pill with water. The video pill remains in the patient's body for two to three days, during which time the person leads a normal life: eating as usual, going to work, exercising, and so on. After the allotted time, the patient returns to the clinic, the sensors are removed, and the readings are taken from them. A computer analyzes the sensor readings, and within half an hour, a complete picture of the intestinal condition is known. If the device detects polyps, their exact location is displayed on the monitor, facilitating the subsequent operation for their removal.