Preliminary study of capsule endoscopy in the small intestine of horses.

This research focused on the usage of capsule endoscopy to observe various parts of the small intestine in healthy horses, establishing that it can provide a detailed view of the mucosal shape, colour, and villus structure from the duodenum through the proximal jejunum.

Study Methodology

• The research involved six healthy adult Thoroughbreds, who were conscious and restrained during the procedure.
• An endoscopic capsule, known as the PillCam SB capsule, was inserted into each horse’s oesophagus using an intranasal catheter guided by a wire.
• The capsule was flushed down the gastrointestinal tract using 500 mL of water.
• Data collected by the capsule was stored in the recorder of the endoscopic system for a duration of six hours after its insertion. The researchers then examined the collected data using an image reader and rated it on a visual analogue scale.

Study Results

• The capsule endoscopy allowed the researchers to observe the distinct mucosal shape, colour, and villus structure of the intestinal lumen from the duodenum through the proximal jejunum.
• Four hours after passing the pylorus, the endoscopic capsule began to transmit increasingly dark images in the distal jejunum, indicating its progress through the gastrointestinal tract and reflecting the increasing circumference of the lumen.
• The visual analogue scale averages in the duodenum, proximal jejunum, and distal jejunum were 93.8 +/- 1.3%, 86.2 +/- 2.5% and 48.8 +/- 6.3%, respectively. These values varied significantly, demonstrating the effectiveness of the capsule in different parts of the intestine.

Conclusions

• The research concluded that capsule endoscopy provides a powerful tool for observing the distinct mucosal shape, colour, and structure of the villus in the proximal and mid-small intestine in healthy horses. The differences in observations from various parts of the small intestine also provide valuable insights into the horse’s intestinal health.