Capsule Device Helps Monitor Gastrointestinal Swelling

A novel noninvasive device enables better monitoring of esophageal diseases and inflammations of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

The EnteroTrack capsule device is used in the esophageal string test (EST), a simple, low-cost device for analyzing esophageal content, which helps identify inflammation in the GI tract and monitor subsequent treatment. For EST, the end of a meter-long string is taped
to the patient’s cheek; the rest of the string then spools out of the capsule after it is swallowed, passing through the esophagus, stomach, and the
upper region of the small intestine. The string becomes coated with digestive tract secretions and is then removed for analysis.

By measuring the pH levels on different parts of the string, it is possible to find which piece was in the esophagus; presence of eosinophil proteins helps determine whether or not the inflammation is active. In the future, EST could also help diagnose various GI inflammatory conditions, such as eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), severe gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE), food allergic enteropathy (FAE), and inflammatory bowel disease (lBD). The EnteroTrack capsule is under development by EnteroTrack (Centennial, CO, USA), under an exclusive license agreement with the University of Colorado (CU; Denver, USA).

“Given the increasing pressures to contain costs, there is clear rationale for innovative, cost-effective methods to monitor esophageal diseases,” said Robin Shandas, PhD, professor and chair of bioengineering at UC Denver, who is acting as interim CEO of EnteroTrack. “This technology holds particular promise because it can reduce total patient care costs while keeping good margins. We hope to obtain FDA approval for the device in 2015.”

“We have been able to successfully collaborate in a multidisciplinary fashion to develop and execute a plan that will ultimately improve the lives of children and adults with gastrointestinal diseases,” said Professor of pediatrics Glenn Furuta, MD, of the CU School of Medicine, who developed the capsule in collaboration with Steven Ackerman, PhD, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Illinois College of Medicine (UIC; Chicago, USA).

Related Links:
University of Colorado
University of Illinois College of Medicine