AHRQ Review Finds SmartPill Equally Effective at Detecting Gastroparesis and Constipation

The SmartPill wireless motility capsule (WMC) has similar accuracy to current testing methods for detecting gastroparesis (delayed gastric emptying) or slow-transit constipation, finds a new review from AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program. WMC is a small device that, when swallowed, can detect specific transit times in the stomach, small bowel, and colon. This device is a portable, one-time use, ingestible capsule that records and transmits data to a receiver as it travels through the gut. WMC could improve how clinicians test for these conditions because the capsule does not involve any radioactive material or x-ray exposure and can record information about pressure, transit, and location simultaneously. More research is needed to evaluate how the capsule should be used in combination with or instead of other testing modalities. These findings can be found in the full research review, Wireless Motility Capsule Versus Other Diagnostic Technologies for Evaluating Gastroparesis and Constipation: A Comparative Effectiveness Review.