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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Christina DobsonORCiD, Emily Haworth, Professor Linda SharpORCiD, Dr Laura Neilson
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© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.Objective Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) is a tool for investigation of the gastrointestinal tract and a non-invasive alternative to colonoscopy. Despite its increasing use, patient experience and acceptability of VCE remains under-examined. This qualitative study examined the experiential nature of undergoing this novel investigation, seeking potential areas for improvement. Methods Patients aged ≥18 years who had undergone VCE for any indication at two National Health Service sites were invited to participate in semi-structured telephone interviews which explored VCE experience from point of procedure booking to receipt of results. Recruitment continued until no new data emerged that challenged analysis (n=21). Thematic analysis was undertaken, with coded data organised initially as a sequential description of the procedural pathway, then into higher-order themes. Results Participants discussed their experiences of VCE, including undergoing patency tests, problems encountered in situating the capsule and experiences and expectations of passing the capsule. Three higher-order themes were developed: expectations and unknowns; perceptions of risk and comparison of VCE with other endoscopic procedures. Participants described a range of unmet information needs despite receiving written information, most notably: capsule appearance and size and experiential nature of swallowing it; capsule siting and potential additional procedures to achieve this and mechanisms and timelines for receiving results. Conclusions Patients are generally accepting of VCE but report a number of areas of unmet information needs. Improving information provision around this relatively new endoscopic procedure would improve patient experience. Procedure-specific patient reported experience measures should be developed to enable robust assessment of VCE experiences.
Author(s): Dobson C, Haworth E, Sharp L, Emmerson I, Sidhu R, Thurston V, Neilson LJ
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Frontline Gastroenterology
Year: 2025
Pages: epub ahead of print
Online publication date: 28/10/2025
Acceptance date: 06/10/2025
ISSN (print): 2041-4137
ISSN (electronic): 2041-4145
Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
URL: https://doi.org/10.1136/flgastro-2025-103336
DOI: 10.1136/flgastro-2025-103336
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