CAMERA YOU COULD SWALLOW HELPS DOCTORS CHECK FOR DISEASES OF THE ESOPHAGUS

PillCamTM ESO Now Available at Galichia Medical Group, PA (GMED)

Wichita, Kansas — July 15, 2005 — A new camera-in-a-pill called PillCamTM ESO can now, for the first time, help doctors diagnose and evaluate diseases of the esophagus including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), erosive esophagitis and Barrett’s esophagus (a pre-cancerous condition) without the use of a traditional endoscope.

The PillCam ESO, about the size of a large vitamin pill, is a non-invasive diagnostic alternative to traditional endoscopy, the most common procedure used to examine the esophagus. In traditional endoscopy, a long, flexible tube (endoscope) is put into the mouth and advanced down the throat into the esophagus. It requires sedation and several hours of recovery.

“We now have a revolutionary technology that offers a quick, easy, office-based test that may help many people avoid traditional endoscopy,” said Mark Bowles, MD, FACC, FACG, gastroenterologist, with GMED. “It may also encourage more people to see their doctor to get checked for diseases that if caught early can be treated effectively.”

The PillCam ESO is taken with a glass of water. It then glides down the esophageal tract taking about 2,600 color digital pictures (14 per second), which are transmitted to a recording device. The test takes approximately twenty minutes. Studies show that PillCam ESO is comparable in accuracy to traditional endoscopy. The disposable capsule is passed naturally within 24 to 72 hours. Unlike traditional endoscopy, the procedure requires no sedation, and patients can resume normal activity immediately.

According to health experts, most of the 19 million GERD sufferers do not monitor their condition despite the fact that 5% to 15% of GERD patients may have Barrett's esophagus, a condition that increases the risk of developing esophageal cancer, the fastest growing type of cancer in America.

GERD sufferers are often treated with prescription or over-the-counter antacids. However, treatments that control symptoms do not prevent the development of more serious complications.

“Millions of people are chronic antacid users and have never been evaluated for esophageal disease,” said Dr. Bowles. “We think that the PillCam ESO will make it easier for people at risk to get that evaluation sooner and keep esophageal disease in check.”

The PillCam ESO is not for everyone. People with swallowing disorders, of known or suspected gastrointestinal obstruction, strictures, or fistulas are not candidates.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Bowles (gastroenterologist / cardiologist), call 316-684-3838 or toll-free 800-657-7250. If you’d like to have more information mailed to you, call 316-858-2380.

Another version of the camera pill for the small bowel, PillCamTM SB, was cleared by the FDA in 2001 and has been used in more than 150,000 patients. The PillCam SB video capsule is the only naturally ingested method for direct visualization of the entire small intestine.