Gastrointestinal motility revisited: The wireless motility capsule

Abstract

Introduction: The wireless motility capsule (WMC) is a novel ambulatory technology that concurrently measures intraluminal pH, temperature, and pressure as it traverses the gastrointestinal tract. Objectives: We aim to provide a concise summary of the WMC, detailing the procedure for its administration and the parameters it records. We also review the evidence that has validated the WMC against other methods currently regarded as 'gold standard'. Conclusions: The WMC offers a number of advantages over and above current techniques, especially with respect to patient tolerability, safety, and standardization. The WMC represents a considerable enhancement of the researchers' and clinicians' investigatory armamentarium. If this technology becomes widely adopted, coupled with international consensus upon the interpretation of physiological data derived therein, it may herald a new and exciting era in gastrointestinal physiology.

Wireless motility capsule compared with scintigraphy in the assessment of diabetic gastroparesis

“…Furthermore, conduction of the test requires little training, transit time results are mostly easy to interpret, and the test equipment is not space consuming. It may therefore be suitable for regular out‐patient clinics, although its availability is so far mostly limited to tertiary centers . Costs are comparable to GES, both tests being more expensive than GEBT and ROMs .…”

“…It may therefore be suitable for regular out-patient clinics, although its availability is so far mostly limited to tertiary centers. 46 Costs are comparable to GES, both tests being more expensive than GEBT and ROMs. 16,22 However, unlike other GE tests, where patients need to stay in the clinic for at least half a workday, commencing WMC testing rarely takes more than 30 minutes.…”

Established and emerging methods for assessment of small and large intestinal motility

“…Nevertheless, strictly speaking, the information obtained is not CTT but WGTT, as the markers also must be transported through the esophagus, stomach, and small bowel. However, as CTT is much longer than both GE and small bowel transit time (SBTT), WGTT can be used as a surrogate for CTT . Special protocols have been developed using radiopaque markers to identify delayed GE and SBTT .…”

Linaclotide increases cecal pH, accelerates colonic transit, and increases colonic motility in irritable bowel syndrome with constipation

“…The wireless motility capsule (WMC) is a minimally invasive technique that, near continuously, measures pressure, temperature, and pH as it traverses the GI tract . Based upon stereotypical changes in temperature and pH, regional transit times and motility measures can be derived.…”