Smart cars can apply the brakes for us. Smartphones can pay bills for us. Smartwatches measure blood pressure, temperature, and heart rates, as well as the passage of time. Now, according to an online article by the Cleveland Clinic, there’s a “smart” pill to help diagnose problems deep in our gut. Problems such as gastroparesis.
Diagnosing gastroparesis or other stomach issues can be a rather invasive procedure involving tubes and radiation in some rather sensitive areas. Gastroparesis, itself, is a hard disease to diagnose but is characterized as the stomach not being able to remove contents in a normal way. The cause is usually unknown, but finding a diagnosis may now be easier on patients.
Stomach issues from nausea, constipation or bloating can now be better understood with the help of a tiny pill. This pill is swallowed, passes through your digestive system, and sends data through a wireless connection to a recorder worn on a belt clip or around your neck. That information is then downloaded to a computer for a specialist to review.
The data can include acid levels, pressure levels, and the temperature and time of the digestive tract. Basically, it can measure how long it takes for food to be pushed through our system, or where it may get hung up. It all adds up to vital information for doctors trying to diagnose an issue, without relying on X-rays, radiation or tubes.
The SmartPill® has been approved by the FDA and is ready to be put to the real-world test.
An added benefit is the SmartPill only needs to pass through the entire digestive system once. While there it captures information from your stomach, small intestine, and colon, all at one time.
