Published online May 14, 2015. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i18.5542
Peer-review started: November 7, 2014
First decision: November 26, 2014
Revised: December 10, 2014
Accepted: January 8, 2015
Article in press: January 8, 2015
Published online: May 14, 2015
Processing time: 194 Days and 5.8 Hours
AIM: To evaluate the completion rate and diagnostic yield of the PillCam SB2-ex in comparison to the PillCam SB2.
METHODS: Two hundred cases using the 8-h PillCam SB2 were retrospectively compared to 200 cases using the 12 h PillCam SB2-ex at a tertiary academic center. Endoscopically placed capsules were excluded from the study. Demographic information, indications for capsule endoscopy, capsule type, study length, completion of exam, clinically significant findings, timestamp of most distant finding, and significant findings beyond 8 h were recorded.
RESULTS: The 8 and 12 h capsule groups were well matched respectively for both age (70.90 ± 14.19 vs 71.93 ± 13.80, P = 0.46) and gender (45.5% vs 48% male, P = 0.69). The most common indications for the procedure in both groups were anemia and obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. PillCam SB2-ex had a significantly higher completion rate than PillCam SB2 (88% vs 79.5%, P = 0.03). Overall, the diagnostic yield was greater for the 8 h capsule (48.5% for SB2 vs 35% for SB2-ex, P = 0.01). In 4/70 (5.7%) of abnormal SB2-ex exams the clinically significant finding was noted in the small bowel beyond the 8 h mark.
CONCLUSION: In our study, we found the PillCam SB2-ex to have a significantly increased completion rate, though without any improvement in diagnostic yield compared to the PillCam SB2.
Core tip: The PillCam SB2-ex and the PillCam SB2 have the same size and specifications, except the PillCam SB2-ec offers 12 h of operation, 4 more hours than the original PillCam SB2. There has been no evaluation regarding the completion rate and diagnostic yield between these two capsules. We examined 200 cases using the 8-h PillCam SB2 and compared it to 200 cases using the 12 h PillCam SB2-ex. We found the PillCam SB2-ex to have a significantly increased completion rate, though without any improvement in the diagnostic yield compared to the PillCam SB2.