[Capsule endoscopy in patients with cardiac pacemakers: current situation in Germany].
OBJECTIVE
The study evaluated the actually experience of capsule endoscopy (CE) in patients with electrical implants (cardiac pacemaker/defibrillator) in Germany.


METHODS
A standardized questionnaire was sent to all centers in Germany doing capsule endoscopy. The questionnaire covers the number of examined patients, monitoring during CE, check of the electric implants before and after CE, occurrence of arrhythmia, quality of CE-video, complications, location and indication of CE.


RESULTS
The questionnaire was sent to 154 hospitals and 51 surgeries. 43% of the questionnaires were sent back to our hospital. In 28 centers 45 Patients with a cardiac pacemaker (CP) and 8 patients with a defibrillator (ICD) were examined with CE. There were no relevant complications. In only two cases supraventricular extrasystoles were seen. 93% of patients with a cardiac pacemaker and 67% of the patients with a defibrillator were examined in a hospital. The predominant indication (patients with CP 86%, patients with ICD 67%) was a gastrointestinal bleeding.


CONCLUSIONS
There are limited experiences of CE in patients with electric implants in Germany. Domain of CE is the diagnostic of gastrointestinal bleeding. Through the results of the inquiry you can conclude that CE in patients with cardiac pacemakers seems to be acceptable in the clinics.
Bandorski
D
D
Medizinische Klinik 1, Klinikum Wetzlar-Braunfels.
Diehl
K-L
KL
Jaspersen
D
D
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004562:Electrocardiography; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires