After swallowing a gelatin capsule attached to a chord and drinking a few cups of water, it dissolves in the stomach and releases a small sponge which is carefully pulled back up through the gullet by a nurse.
“It’s not the most pleasant thing I’ve ever had to do,” said Iola.
“The swallowing of the tablet was okay but then it opens in you stomach into a little brush and that’s got to come out.
“And that was uncomfortable but only for a couple of seconds.
Consultant gastroenterologist Dr Hasan Haboubi said: “If people are having long-standing heartburn symptoms and are either going to their chemist for regular Rennies or buying omeprazole over the counter, or going to their GP regularly, then that’s when it’s worth thinking about if there are any obvious lifestyle changes that need to be made.
“If we do need to identify those patients who need a little bit more observation then that’s the whole purpose of this kind of study.
“A capsule sponge test is a able to detect any pre-cancerous changes at an early stage.”
