‘PillCam’ To Replace Daunting Colonoscopies Has Been Swallowed By 2,000 Patients

The mere mention of a colonoscopy could elicit a wince. The invasive nature of the procedure might be why many have held off screenings, and why many diagnoses have come in too late.

Dreading the process, one patient from Glasgow asked her doctor if there was an alternative diagnostic test and was delighted to hear that there was.

Many others like her have been as fortunate. To date, over 2,000 patients across Scotland have been screened for bowel cancer in a new, quick and painless way, thanks to a little camera-in-a-pill by medical device firm MedTronic called the ‘PillCam’.

NHS Scotland patients can now opt for a colon capsule endoscopy (CCE), which involves them swallowing the pill to have photos taken to look out for early signs of cancer.

As it passes through the digestive tract, the mini camera—weighing only three grams and measuring 26.2mm long—snaps 50,000 images, which are uploaded to a recording device attached to a belt on the patient’s waist. A healthcare worker can then review the photos from a computer.

After being used, the pill is easily “flushed away” through the bowel.

Patients would still need to go through the traditional cleansing process prior to their screening, but they just have to swallow the pill afterward, freeing them from the stress one typically gets. No sedation is required either, says Professor Angus Watson, consultant colorectal surgeon and head of colon capsule endoscopy.

PillCam came in most useful during the pandemic, when it was first used by the public, as hospitals had to limit the number of colonoscopies they could perform.

The inventive pill would help shorten waiting lines and enable doctors to make faster diagnoses, ultimately allowing patients to be treated as soon as possible should anything be detected. As the process is non-invasive, it means people would also be less anxious about booking their appointment.

“We are delighted to reach this milestone of 2,000 patients receiving this exciting, fast and effective diagnostic procedure,” says Professor Watson in a statement published by Metro.co.uk. 

The Glasgow patient reports after her appointment: “It’s a lot easier… It’s painless, it’s not uncomfortable at all… I’d definitely recommend it.’

[via PetaPixel and Metro.co.uk, cover image via Technion UK / Medtronic]