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liver cysts
I've been reading alot of posts on here regarding liver cysts and feel better that I'm not alone. I had some bloating and pain in my abdomen with bulging, saw a surgeon with what I thought was a hernia and was told a diastasis which is a tearing of the abdominal wall. I've had 5 abdominal surgeries which has left my wall very thin and weak. This all started with a violent episode of diarrhea in March. On exam I was sent to a surgeon who did a ct scan and I was told "I've never seen so many cysts in a liver"....well that left me reeling with fear. Upon further investigation I was told I had a 8cm cyst on the left tip of the liver and other cysts measuring 5cm and below...there was a ? of whether the cysts were simple or complex. To make a long story short, I just last week had the large on drained at MGH which produced 260 cc (approx 9 oz) of fluid. I'm still having alot of discomfort in my abdomen and my GI feels these are 2 separate issues. I had another CT scan yesterday and now they want me to swallow the camera capsule because of not being able to view small intestines any other way..(a long time ago I had a melanoma) so she is ?ing that and wants to r/o...does anyone have any experience with this camera thing? I'm afraid with all my surgeries I may have alot of adhesions and the camera will get stuck somewhere....????
Thank you sooo much for all of that info...I am scheduled for Monday but I just called her office and they are looking into having me do a patency capsule first...I thought I had read all I could find on this but I didn't see that so I really thank you for taking the time..
Thank you so much for all of this info...I am booked to do the capsule on Monday and I'm going to call right now and see if she does the patency capsule.
I have no experience with this procedure but I have read a little about it. I think you are wise to have some concerns but it appears that there is an option (Agile Patency Capsule) that mitigates the risk. I have copied some excerpts from articles addressing your concern.
Are there risks with this procedure?
If you have trouble swallowing, have narrowed areas in the esophagus, or suffer from severe stomach emptying delay (gastroparesis), the pill can be delivered into the small intestine with an endoscope. If your small intestine or colon has narrowed due to previous surgeries or radiation exposure, you may not be able to undergo this procedure.
Some patients with pacemaker/defibrillators need to be monitored during this test in order to prevent electrical interference with their heart devices. There is a very small risk that camera could lodge itself in the intestine. If the camera causes a blockage, you will need surgery to remove it.
When your doctor has concerns about the capsule’s ability to pass out of the digestive tract, he orders an Agile Patency Capsule. This is a replica of the pill camera made out of material that breaks down in your stomach or bowel. After you swallow this pill, it is monitored for passage in the feces. If the patency capsule gets stuck, you cannot do the actual pill camera study.
See: http://indygastro.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21&Itemid=5
Contraindications for PillCam COLON include:
Patients with known or suspected GI obstruction, strictures, or fistulas based on the clinical picture or pre-procedure testing and profile.
Patients with cardiac pacemakers or other implanted electro-medical devices.
Patients with swallowing disorders.
See: http://www.pillcamcolon.com/about/what-are-the-disadvantages-and-risks/
Capsule Endoscopy
What Happens During a Capsule Endoscopy?
Similar to colonoscopy, capsule endoscopy is an examination of the tissue lining your gastrointestinal tract. It is a non-invasive procedure that is sometimes used as an alternative to enteroscopy if the small bowel needs to be examined, and a traditional colonoscopy wouldn’t be able to reach. The capsule endoscopy procedure is usually done so that doctors, mainly gastroenterologists, can get a better look at parts of your small intestine—the duodenum, jejunum and ileum—for abnormal growths and signs of other health conditions such as colon cancer or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
During the capsule endoscopy procedure, you will need to swallow a tiny video camera with a light attached to it. You’ll be wearing a device on your body that displays what the camera sees as it moves down your gastrointestinal tract (GI tract). It’ll take approximately 8 hours for the camera to completely pass through your system—you do not have to stay in a doctor’s office for the duration of the test, but you’ll obviously have to return to give back the device and submit your results (you do NOT need to recapture the actual camera as the images are transmitted remotely to the external recording device.) The test has not been reported to be uncomfortable or much of a daily hindrance for most patients. Patients only need to be aware that the test is being performed and refrain from practicing too much physical activity, such as running, jumping or having sex, while the device is working. Also make sure that the device is turned on and stays connected throughout the day. People who have had abdominal surgery before should discuss with their specialist about the need for a ‘patency’ capsule prior to undergoing the actual exam – as this can help to ensure that the pill will pass without becoming trapped in the small bowel or colon prior to proceeding.
In general, the risks of capsule endoscopy are minor; however, the most serious risks include retention of the capsule and development of small bowel obstruction as a result of the capsule. This is especially important for those who have had prior abdominal surgeries, as they are at much higher risk of this happening (see above for section regarding patency capsule.)
See: http://www.gastroenterology.com/procedures/capsule-endoscopy
I hope this helps you.
Good luck,
Mike
Are there risks with this procedure?
If you have trouble swallowing, have narrowed areas in the esophagus, or suffer from severe stomach emptying delay (gastroparesis), the pill can be delivered into the small intestine with an endoscope. If your small intestine or colon has narrowed due to previous surgeries or radiation exposure, you may not be able to undergo this procedure.
Some patients with pacemaker/defibrillators need to be monitored during this test in order to prevent electrical interference with their heart devices. There is a very small risk that camera could lodge itself in the intestine. If the camera causes a blockage, you will need surgery to remove it.
When your doctor has concerns about the capsule’s ability to pass out of the digestive tract, he orders an Agile Patency Capsule. This is a replica of the pill camera made out of material that breaks down in your stomach or bowel. After you swallow this pill, it is monitored for passage in the feces. If the patency capsule gets stuck, you cannot do the actual pill camera study.
See: http://indygastro.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21&Itemid=5
Contraindications for PillCam COLON include:
Patients with known or suspected GI obstruction, strictures, or fistulas based on the clinical picture or pre-procedure testing and profile.
Patients with cardiac pacemakers or other implanted electro-medical devices.
Patients with swallowing disorders.
See: http://www.pillcamcolon.com/about/what-are-the-disadvantages-and-risks/
Capsule Endoscopy
What Happens During a Capsule Endoscopy?
Similar to colonoscopy, capsule endoscopy is an examination of the tissue lining your gastrointestinal tract. It is a non-invasive procedure that is sometimes used as an alternative to enteroscopy if the small bowel needs to be examined, and a traditional colonoscopy wouldn’t be able to reach. The capsule endoscopy procedure is usually done so that doctors, mainly gastroenterologists, can get a better look at parts of your small intestine—the duodenum, jejunum and ileum—for abnormal growths and signs of other health conditions such as colon cancer or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
During the capsule endoscopy procedure, you will need to swallow a tiny video camera with a light attached to it. You’ll be wearing a device on your body that displays what the camera sees as it moves down your gastrointestinal tract (GI tract). It’ll take approximately 8 hours for the camera to completely pass through your system—you do not have to stay in a doctor’s office for the duration of the test, but you’ll obviously have to return to give back the device and submit your results (you do NOT need to recapture the actual camera as the images are transmitted remotely to the external recording device.) The test has not been reported to be uncomfortable or much of a daily hindrance for most patients. Patients only need to be aware that the test is being performed and refrain from practicing too much physical activity, such as running, jumping or having sex, while the device is working. Also make sure that the device is turned on and stays connected throughout the day. People who have had abdominal surgery before should discuss with their specialist about the need for a ‘patency’ capsule prior to undergoing the actual exam – as this can help to ensure that the pill will pass without becoming trapped in the small bowel or colon prior to proceeding.
In general, the risks of capsule endoscopy are minor; however, the most serious risks include retention of the capsule and development of small bowel obstruction as a result of the capsule. This is especially important for those who have had prior abdominal surgeries, as they are at much higher risk of this happening (see above for section regarding patency capsule.)
See: http://www.gastroenterology.com/procedures/capsule-endoscopy
I hope this helps you.
Good luck,
Mike
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