Endoscopic placement of videocapsule in a pediatric population. (I.F.3.923)

In regard to the article “Endoscopic capsule delivery for patients with dysphagia, anatomical abnormalities, or gastroparesis,”1 we would like to report the procedure that we have used to introduce the video capsule in a pediatric population. From December 2003 to present, we have positioned the video capsule in 15 pediatric patients (age range 18 months to 11 years) by using the following technique. A Roth net for foreign-body extraction is first introduced into the operative channel of a pediatric endoscope. Some of the net's mesh then is broken to better release the capsule in the stomach. The video capsule, already activated, is placed into the net (Fig. 1), with the distal metallic end of the net not protruding from the top of the capsule. To avoid posterior pharyngeal damage during the introduction of the endoscope, the net with the video capsule has to be kept as straight on the axis of the endoscope as possible. General anesthesia of the patient is required, and the endoscopist is positioned behind the patient's head.