Jacksonville, Fla. – This week, Shands Jacksonville will become the first hospital in north Florida to offer its patients the M2A swallowable imaging capsule, which provides a non-invasive and painless procedure for diagnostic imaging of the gastrointestinal tract.
A procedure using this cutting-edge technology will be conducted on the campus of Shands Jacksonville on Jan. 25, 2002, at 8 a.m. and local media are invited to attend. Louis Lambiase, M.D., a UF associate professor of medicine and medical director of endoscopy at Shands Jacksonville, and his technicians will be available to demonstrate the equipment, procedure and to answer any questions regarding the M2A capsule. A patient should also be available for an interview.
Patients with disorders of the small intestine, such as recurrent small-bowel bleeding, will now be able to benefit from this new medical technology that allows physicians to view the entire length of the small intestine, using a minute camera contained in an easily-swallowed capsule. Current procedures used to explore the small bowel are invasive and cannot view the entire 22 feet of the small intestine.
The Given Diagnostic Imaging System, developed by the Israeli-based company Given Imaging Ltd., includes:
- The M2A capsule endoscope, which has a clear dome with sensors and contains a miniature video camera, a light source, batteries and a radio transmitter. Video images are transmitted by means of radio telemetry to aerials taped to the body, capturing 50,000 images during the seven-hour procedure.
- The data recorder is similar to a walkman-like device that receives information transmitted by the capsule. It is worn on a belt by the patient, allowing him or her to continue their daily activities.
- The computer workstation is equipped with imaging software that processes the data and produces a video of the small intestine. It enables the physician to view, edit and archive the video clips as well as transmit them by e-mail.
Medicare covers physicians’ costs for the procedure. At this time, expense for the $450 M2A imaging capsule is paid out-of-pocket by the patient.