Capsule Endoscopy- Examination of Small Intestine

Contemporary endoscopic techniques have revamped the prognosis of diseases and have eased the treatments of the upper gastrointestinal tract. This tract comprises duodenum, stomach, and esophagus. The middle tract contains small intestine which qualifies to be the largest organ of the body and it covers around 90% of the intermediate tract's area. The diagnosis of this convoluted intestine for tumors or subtle abnormalities through radiological procedures is a complicated and time-consuming process. Capsule endoscopy was introduced to overcome these loopholes. It is a wireless method of diagnosing abnormalities of the small intestine.

What is Capsule Endoscopy?

Capsule endoscopy is a technique which captures the internal images of the middle gastrointestinal track, i.e., small intestine. It uses a camera embedded pill which needs to be swallowed by the patient. The medicine encapsulates a light bulb, battery, and a radio transmitter as well along with the miniature camera. As the pill skids through the esophagus, stomach and small intestine, it captures whistle-stop pictures. The radio transmitter transfers these images to the receiver which is strapped firmly around the patient's waist. The pill automatically gets discarded during excretion. The captured snapshots obtained by the receiver are then downloaded to the computer and are ready to review. This process takes an approximate time of 9 hours.

Benefits of Capsule Endoscopy

Capsule endoscopy is brilliant as it can detect intestinal bleeding in the most accurate way possible. This method is a package of advantages and minimal or no risks. Let's take a look at its benefits:

·         It is one of the most accurate procedures to examine the small intestine. Traditional endoscopy or colonoscopy failed to reach this middle part of the gastrointestinal tract.

·         It is a painless procedure and is not dependent on sedation methods.

·         The patient can walk freely, and hospital stay is not required.

·         Unlike other diagnosis methods, capsule endoscopy does not use any harmful radiations in its entire episode of examination.

·         This process involves minimal risk. As per studies, the probability of risk is only 0.75% wherein if the capsule stucks a small surgery is required to disengage the capsule.

 What diseases can Capsule Endoscopy diagnose?

·         Gastrointestinal bleeding

·         Chron's disease

·         Cancer

·         Celiac disease

·         Follow up testing after x-rays and other screen tests

·         Examine polyps

Digestive Problems? Consult specialists!

Digestive and LiverDisease Center of San Antonio PLLC is one of the recommended clinics of Gastroenterology in San Antonio. Their specialists are expert in treating conditions like hemorrhoids, hiatal hernia, peptic ulcers, overweight & obesity, colon cancer, adult constipation, and other abnormalities related to liver and digestive system. If you are facing any problems in digestion or want to discuss the abnormalities with a specialist then DLD clinic is the best option for you.

Bodytite- Let's Understand the Procedure Step by Step

This procedure is carried out using Radio Frequency Assisted Lipo Tightening (RFALTM) technology. Tiny incisions are made on the skin to extract fat at an unnoticeable location in the human body. This procedure is a radio frequency assisted lipo method which melts the fat cells and extracts them out through the incision made to tighten the skin in the processed area. It is an advancement of traditional lipo and is considered safe for implementation. In comparison to conventional lipo method, this body contouring technique is less hurtful and incurs less post-operative pain and swelling.

The following are 6 steps to advanced body contouring procedure:

1.       Preoperatively, the patient is given local anesthesia at the target area where the radio frequency will be influenced.

2.       Then, minute incisions are made in the area affected by anesthesia followed by tumescent infiltration.

3.       Now comes in the picture the bodytite device. The surgeon sets the depth of operation, the intensity of radio frequency energy in watts, skin temperature and the range of impedance. The device is auto functional, and on achieving the set temperature, it stops functioning. It also aids the surgeon with audio and visual assistance.

4.       Low pressure is set to the internal probe of the machine to operate on the affected area. This force directs the radio frequency energy on the skin's surface and deep inside the fat levels.

5.       After the device's operation, power-assisted lipo is performed to eliminate liquefied fat further and achieve better skin contracture levels.

6.       Finally, the fat cells are sucked out with the help of vacuum tubes.

The heat produced by radio frequency energy gets transmitted from an internal cannula to an external electrode which coagulates tissues in parallel. This process, in turn, heats the target subdermal and subcutaneous layers and tightens the skin. Surgeons work creatively in bringing bulging skin to contraction by continuously repeating this safe, advanced lipo method. The cannula is placed near connective tissues and blood vessels at different plains to pass the radio frequency energy efficiently. 

The surface blade monitors the temperature and impedance continuously.

A closed loop safety system on the device monitors energy flow and works by the impedance levels regulated by surgeons in the entire duration of surgery. In cases of electrode overheating, the machine stops the energy flow. The patient might experience soreness and swelling post this body contouring procedure; however, this is normal and can be eliminated by intake of antibiotics.

Bodytite Procedure in San Antonio

Dr. Koneru is a specialist of Bodytite inSan Antonio. His expertise and experience make him one of the most prominent surgeons of traditional and advanced liposuction.

Does Smoking Cause Colon Cancer?

Cigarettes contain no safe substances and smoking cigarettes can lead to preventable deaths. Analysis proves smoking causes colon or colorectal cancer.  When the ingredients of a cigarette burn, approx thousands of chemicals are released. Majority of which are toxic to the human body and cancer-causing agents. It is a broad spread fact that smoking hurls harmful effects on lungs, however, on whole every principal organ of the body gets influenced by the hazardous substances and large intestine cancer is an example. Tar is the main component of tobacco which when burnt produces 7000 chemicals, most of which prove fatal to the human body. 

How does smoking affect large intestine?

Smoking tobacco transforms healthy cells into the negative ones which then function to damage the DNA. Smoking is the source of toxicity which cumulates the risk of colon cancer. The radicals formed due to inhaling tobacco roam free and generate precancerous polyps. Development of precancerous polyps in large intestine tends to cause colon cancer. High degree polyps known as flat adenomas are more dangerous to health and bear chances of causing cancer more frequently than precancerous polyps. The formation of this cancer in large intestine proves fatal in majority cases. Studies reveal that smokers are 23 percent more vulnerable to death in comparison to non-smokers who have undergone colon surgery. 

Stats divulge that a person is more likely to have colon cancer if his/her family history has records of the same cancer. This study does not ignore the fact that a person who smokes is more likely to have first-degree large intestine cancer in comparison to a person having cancer records in family history.

A quick escape from cancer

Cancer in large intestine takes sufficient time to set once a person starts smoking. If you are addicted to smoking tobacco then soon decide to call it quits because there is no other smart rescue from harmful diseases. Once a person stops smoking in initial stages, then the cancer developing agent gets destroyed with time before it could emerge completely. If we go by mathematical calculations then quitting tobacco in the 20s or early 30s still keeps a person resilient of developing cancer because there a person gets a time lag of 30 years to destroy the harmful substances.

Colon Cancer Treatment in San Antonio

If you are looking for specialists in colon cancer in SanAntonio, then Digestive Liver Disease Center of San Antonio PLLC is one stop solution. They use advanced diagnostic methods to identify the presence of colorectal cancer and provide best medical treatment as per diagnosis.

Orthopedic Stem Cell Treatment- Repairing Damaged Tissues with Cell Injection

The healing process of damaged tissue, muscle or a tendon is a continuum process. However, the power of this rehabilitation process starts wearing off with age. It may sound distressing to you, but leave your worries because medical science has derived a panacea to empower the damaged tissues or tendons by transplanting repairing cells in that space. These cells are renewable sources of musculoskeletal damages as they can repair and regenerate all types of impaired muscles or tissues. Scientifically, these cells repair wrecked tissues by generating signals to those masses in the form of chemicals. This repairing process saves the surrounding organs from getting depleted and thus, preventing organ transplant surgeries. Now, you must be wondering the source of these cells? It is none less than from a patient's own body. There's a part of the human body called as bone marrow where these cells are available in abundance.

Types of Stem Cells

Mature/Adult Cells- These undifferentiated cells are available throughout the body. They multiply on division and possess the capability of repowering dying cells and repairing damaged tissues. Mature cells generate similar cells on segmentation and are perceived only by the same immune system. These cells aid in curing chronic lung disease in infants, damaged heart, etc.

Embryonic Cells- These cells are a derivative of blastocyst's inner cells. The blastocyst is a complex cellular structure which forms in early development stages of mammals. Embryonic cells get differentiated into different cell types on division. 

How Orthopedic Stem Cell Injections Work?

Are you suffering from severe joint pain? Isn't any curative treatment alleviating the pain? This cell treatment is a boon to this malady. The procedure involves injecting cells from a part of the same body, probably from bone marrow to the pain area where tissues have become damaged. This treatment helps in curing hip pain, joint pain, chronic back pain or any other joint diseases. It is a downright safe procedure, and risks are minimal because the cells used for injection belong to the same source. Orthopedic disorders undertake maximum advantage from this process as these cells exhibit characteristic of repairing injured or impaired tissues, cartilage, joints or bones. The following are a few orthopedic defects which the cell treatment can cure:

·         Bone defects

·         Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

·         Spinal cord nerve injuries

·         Bone-tendon interface healing

·         Articular cartilage

·         Osteoarthritis

·         Avascular Necrosis

Rehabilitation by Specialists

Stem Cell Orthopedic Institute of Texas is one of the recommended orthopedic institutes in San Antonio. If you are facing any orthopedic problems, then consult the specialists at this institute for reliable solutions.