Positioning exercises in improving the quality of magnetic-controlled capsule endoscopy

Background Good gastric preparation is indispensable for Magnetic-controlled Capsule Endoscopy (MCE) examination, but there is no consensus yet. We aim to explore the clinical application value of positioning exercises in improving the quality of MCE examination. Methods Clinical data of 326 patients who underwent MCE examination from January 2020 to December 2023 were collected. The included patients were divided into two groups: the conventional medication preparation group (CMP group, accepted mucosal cleansing medication only) and the positioning exercises group (PE group, accepted mucosal cleansing medication plus positioning exercises). A comparison was made between the two groups in terms of gastric cavity cleanliness score, visibility score, and detection rate of positive lesions. Results The examination time was (21.29 +/- 5.82) minutes in the PE group and (30.54 +/- 6.37) minutes in the CMP group, showing a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.001). The total cleanliness score and visibility score in the CMP group were 15.89 +/- 2.82 and 10.93 +/- 2.12, respectively. In contrast, the total cleanliness score and visibility score in the PE group were 19.52 +/- 2.26 and 15.09 +/- 2.31, respectively. The PE group showed significantly better cleanliness scores and visibility scores in all six anatomical regions compared to the CMP group (All P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in the detection rate of positive lesions between the two groups (All P > 0.05). Conclusion Positioning exercises before MCE examination can improve the quality of gastric mucosal images and reduce the duration of the examination for patients.