Crosby-Kugler capsule
Encyclopedia
The Crosby-Kugler capsule, also called the Crosby capsule, is a device used for obtaining biopsies
of small bowel mucosa, necessary for the diagnosis of various small bowel
diseases. This capsule was originally invented by Dr. William H Crosby
to assist in diagnosing sprue
.
The capsule, attached to a long tube, is swallowed. The other end of the tube remains outside the patient's mouth. When the capsule has reached the desired section of bowel, suction is applied to the tube. This suction triggers a mechanism in the capsule which causes a spring-loaded knife to sweep across an aperture in the capsule (see figure), cutting away any mucosa protruding into the aperture. The capsule is then pulled up by the tube, and the biopsied tissue is retrieved from within the capsule chamber.
Since about 1980, it has been possible to perform adequate biopsies on adults during an upper endoscopy
, relegating the Crosby capsule to use mainly in children.
Biopsy
A biopsy is a medical test involving sampling of cells or tissues for examination. It is the medical removal of tissue from a living subject to determine the presence or extent of a disease. The tissue is generally examined under a microscope by a pathologist, and can also be analyzed chemically...
of small bowel mucosa, necessary for the diagnosis of various small bowel
Small intestine
The small intestine is the part of the gastrointestinal tract following the stomach and followed by the large intestine, and is where much of the digestion and absorption of food takes place. In invertebrates such as worms, the terms "gastrointestinal tract" and "large intestine" are often used to...
diseases. This capsule was originally invented by Dr. William H Crosby
William Holmes Crosby, Jr.
William Holmes Crosby is considered by many to be one of the founding fathers of modern hematology. He published more the 450 peer-reviewed papers in the field, as well as those of oncology, gastroenterology, iron metabolism, nutrition and general medical practice...
to assist in diagnosing sprue
Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease , is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy onward...
.
The capsule, attached to a long tube, is swallowed. The other end of the tube remains outside the patient's mouth. When the capsule has reached the desired section of bowel, suction is applied to the tube. This suction triggers a mechanism in the capsule which causes a spring-loaded knife to sweep across an aperture in the capsule (see figure), cutting away any mucosa protruding into the aperture. The capsule is then pulled up by the tube, and the biopsied tissue is retrieved from within the capsule chamber.
Since about 1980, it has been possible to perform adequate biopsies on adults during an upper endoscopy
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
For other expansions of the initialism "OGD", see the disambiguation page.In medicine , esophagogastroduodenoscopy is a diagnostic endoscopic procedure that visualizes the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract up to the duodenum...
, relegating the Crosby capsule to use mainly in children.