Successful videocapsule endoscopy in patients with an abdominal cardiac pacemaker

Pacemaker location in the abdominal wall is considered a contraindication to videocapsule endoscopy (VCE). The aim of this study was to review our experience on the use of WE in patients with a pacemaker located in the abdominal wall. WE was carried out with monitoring of cardiac rhythm. This was a retrospective review of WE case studies performed at two tertiary care university medical centers (pediatric and adult). The main outcome measures were adverse events and quality of WE images. No adverse events were experienced in any of the five patients with implanted cardiac pacemakers, including the two with abdominal pacemaker. No interference with the VCE recording was observed during the studies, although the capsule was observed to be briefly inactivated by the pacemaker in one case. The present study, though small, suggests that VCE is safe in adult and pediatric patients who are fitted with cardiac pacemakers, even when implanted in the abdominal wall. The WE exam can be carried out successfully under close supervision. Dysfunction of the capsule appears to be more likely than problems with cardiac pacing.