Enhancing Detection of Small Esophageal Varices by PillCam ESO
Esophageal Varices
About this trial
This is an interventional diagnostic trial for Esophageal Varices focused on measuring Small grade esophageal varices, capsule endoscopy, PillCam ESO, abdominal binder
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- patients identified with grade I and grade II esophageal varices by conventional endoscopy who are returning for screening or surveillance
- patients who have had endoscopic banding of varices in the past
- patients aged 18 years or older
- patients able to give consent
- patients eligible and willing to undergo upper endoscopy and PillCam ESO capsule endoscopy
Exclusion Criteria:
- dysphagia
- Zenker's diverticulum
- pregnancy
- esophageal stricture
- gastric or intestinal obstruction
- multiple abdominal surgeries
- cardiac pacemakers
- implanted electronic medical devices
- cognitive impairment
- also, patients found to have bleeding, requiring banding, or other complications on screening EGD the day of the trial will not proceed to capsule endoscopy
- urine pregnancy test will be conducted prior to participation; this is part of the standard procedure for women of child-bearing age undergoing upper endoscopy in the GI lab
all patients being evaluated for the current study will be evaluated for the presence or absence of overt portosystemic encephalopathy:
- Those found to have overt portosystemic encephalopathy will then be graded based on the standard scale of grade 1 through 4 portosystemic encephalopathy. Assessment of whether patients with liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma possess decisional capacity is essentially the same as for other subjects with the exception that due diligence must be used to address whether there is any evidence of active ongoing overt portosystemic encephalopathy. From the available data and current standards of care, patients with stage 1 overt hepatic encephalopathy are decisional but may have minimal impairment in their cognitive skills particularly in the domains of attention and sleep. Decisional capacity in patients with grades 2-4 overt portosystemic encephalopathy is impaired and will lead to them bring excluded from the study.
Sites / Locations
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Active Comparator
Active Comparator
Active Comparator
Screening esophagoduodenoscopy (EGD)
Capsule Endoscopy
Capsule Endoscopy with abdominal binder
EGD will be performed utilizing conscious sedation. During EGD, the endoscopist will capture pictures of the esophageal body, Z-line, lower esophagus and proximal gastric folds. Grading of esophageal varices will be performed by all investigators using the Italian Liver cirrhosis project. Patients who are found to have small grade varices and meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be enrolled in the study.
The capsule endoscope will be swallowed by the participant with 100cc of water and simethicone in the supine position. Recording is done for 2 minute in this position and then the head will be elevated to 30 degrees for 2 minutes and then 60 degrees for 1 minute. After 1 minute, the patient will sip10cc of water and after 15 seconds, they will sit upright and sip water again. They can then walk and resume normal activity for 15 minutes. The videos will be reviewed and graded by a gastroenterologist experienced with capsule endoscopy and will be blinded to the patient's clinical and procedural history as well as the most recent EGD. The varices will be graded using the Given Imaging software that grades varices as no varices (C0), small varices or < 25% of esophageal circumference (C1), and large varices or > 25% of esophageal circumference (C2).
Before swallowing the capsule endoscope, an inflatable girdle is wrapped around the waist above the umbilicus and held in place by a an abdominal binder. The pressure is increased by 10mmHg for 10 minutes. The PillCam ESO is placed in the mouth and the patient is asked to swallow it with 100cc of water with simethicone in the supine position. Recording is done for 2 minute in this position and then the head is elevated to 30 degrees for 2 minutes and then 60 degrees for 1 minute. After 1 minute, the patient sips 10cc of water and after 15 seconds, they sit upright and sip water again. They can then walk and resume normal activity for 15 minutes.