Personalized Care for a Capsule Endoscopy in Williamsport, PA

Capsule endoscopy is a diagnostic imaging procedure performed by your gastroenterologist in order to examine your small intestine (located between your stomach and colon). The procedure might have been recommended by your doctor in order to evaluate symptoms you are having, such as bleeding, abdominal pain, weight loss, loss of appetite or chronic diarrhea.

Conventional endoscopy procedures cannot easily reach the small intestine, so this specialized technique can be utilized by your doctor to check for gastrointestinal bleeding, inflammatory bowel diseases, cancerous tumors, celiac disease or polyps (non-cancerous growths).

At UPMC, our digestive disease physicians perform capsule endoscopy in Williamsport, PA. To receive exceptional care, please call 570-321-3454, or, Find a Provider at UPMC.

Capsule Endoscopy Prep

If you are scheduled for a capsule endoscopy, your doctor might ask that you take the time to follow a preparation procedure. This could involve restricting your diet to clear liquids 24 hours prior to the procedure, stopping or delaying your current medications or avoiding strenuous activity. We ask that you follow the preparations as prescribed by your doctor to ensure a successful procedure without complications.

How It Works

This procedure will require you to swallow a large vitamin-sized capsule. Inside the capsule is a tiny wireless camera that will take pictures as it passes through your digestive tract. Pictures from the camera are transmitted to a recorder you wear around your waist or over your shoulder. 

The capsule endoscopy camera will take pictures for eight to 12 hours, then be passed in a bowel movement (the capsule can safely be flushed down the toilet). You may expel the camera right away or not for several days. If you haven’t passed the capsule in two weeks, contact your doctor.

After the Procedure

When you return to the office eight hours later, a nurse will remove the antenna patches and recorder. Your doctor will transfer the images that were recorded onto a computer and look for abnormalities. It might take a few days to a week before you receive the results of your procedure.

The experts at the Digestive Disease Center at UPMC are here to help you find comfort and treatment. If you have any questions pre- or post-procedure, don’t hesitate to contact us.