title: Feasibility of stomach exploration with a guided capsule endoscope.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Video capsule endoscopy has been established in diagnosis of small-bowel disease and has been evaluated for esophageal pathology and recently for colorectal diagnostics. Gastric capsule endoscopy has not hitherto been feasible due to the stomach's large surface area and volume. We present the first application of a magnetically navigated capsule in the human stomach.
  
  
  METHODS
  29 volunteers and 24 patients (men 42, women 11; mean age 47.5 years) were included in a feasibility study. Low-level magnetic fields were used to maneuver the double-sensor video capsule within the human stomach with an air-water interface provided by ingestion of 1300 ml water within 1 hour before examination. Visualization of all parts of the stomach was attempted; time for visualization was recorded, and a subjective assessment of completeness of visualization was documented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was technical failure in one individual; thus technical success rate was 98 %. In the 52 remaining cases, examiners assessed that the antrum, body, fundus, and cardia were fully visualized in 98 %, 96 %, 73 % and 75 %, respectively. Mean duration of examinations was 30 minutes (range 8 - 50), with a longer time (mean 37 minutes) for volunteers for study reasons. In total, 30 findings were identified: 14 were detected by both gastroscopy and capsule, 10 lesions were identified by guided capsule examination only, 6 by gastroscopy only. No significant capsule-related adverse events occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Magnetically navigated video capsule endoscopy appears to be feasible and sufficiently accurate for gastric examination. It may permit endoscopic examinations that are more patient-friendly and without sedation. Comparative studies are under way.
authors.affiliation: Institut Arnault Tzanck, St Laurent du Var, France. Jean-francois.rey@wanadoo.fr
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Rey
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogata
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hosoe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohtsuka
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ogata
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aihara
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pangtay
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hibi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tajiri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D053704:Capsule Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013270:Stomach; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult