Two foreign objects -- a gut feeling

X-ray of the endoscopy capsule
(round shape on the left)
and the dissolvable capsule
(above and to the right)
framed by my left pelvic bones

Not one, but two gut-loiterers

This morning, Dr. Cutler called me before office hours to tell me what his associate found when he read my capsule endoscopy test. It turns out that two objects are lodged in my jejunum, the longest, middle portion of the small intestine. One is the size of the endoscopy capsule. The other is about the same length and quite narrow. It's most likely what's left of the dissolvable patency capsule I swallowed two nights before my capsule endoscopy test. Our conversation centered on how we should retreive them both. 

The Jejunum is the longest
part of the small bowel

Was it inevitable?

Dr. Cutler said that the endoscopy capsule may be an unfortunate hastening of what would eventually need attention. He said that the capsule got pictures of the stricture where the jejunum narrows too much to let either capsule pass through. Lots of inflamed and fibrotic tissue in an hour-glass shape that is the culprit causing the frequent bowel obstructions. He said that the most effective, permanent treatment would be to clip out that diseased part of the bowel. He also agreed to ask Dr. Radwin if he thought they could be retrieved via a double-balloon enteroscopy and if there was a possibility of dilating the stricture to avoid surgery, at least for now.

Double-balloon
endoscopy illustration

A non-surgical choice

By the end of the day, Dr. Cutler and Dr. Radwin had agreed that the double- balloon antegrade enteroscopy with jejunal stricture dilation is do-able and a viable alternative to immediate surgery. The word came too late this afternoon to get it scheduled. But I'll follow up tomorrow and get this taken care of as soon as they can fit me in. 

Meanwhile, I'm sticking with things that can't get stuck. I do like frozen yogurt, pudding, hot cereal and yogurt. It's all good.

Eat lots of oranges, cookies and raw vegetables for me!

Stay well.

Merry Christmas!

Beth