Preoperative Use of a Magnetically Controlled Capsule Endoscopy in Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery (NAVICAM)

May 8, 2026 updated by: Jerry Dang

Preoperative Use of a Magnetically Controlled Capsule Endoscopy in Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery: A Feasibility Prospective Trial

The goal of this clinical trial is to test if a swallowable camera capsule can safely examine the upper digestive tract in people preparing for weight loss surgery. The camera capsule (called NaviCam® Xpress™ Stomach System) is controlled by magnets from outside the body and doesn't require sedation, unlike traditional endoscopy. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Can the camera capsule be safely used in people with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 38? Can doctors successfully control and move the camera capsule to see the necessary areas of the stomach and esophagus? Researchers will evaluate 30 participants who are preparing for weight loss surgery.

Participants will:

Swallow the camera capsule with water after not eating or drinking since midnight Have their upper digestive tract examined while the doctor controls the capsule from outside their body Complete a brief satisfaction survey about their experience Be followed up with a phone call 2-3 weeks after the procedure

This study could help determine if the camera capsule is a good alternative to traditional endoscopy for people preparing for weight loss surgery, potentially avoiding the need for sedation.

Study Overview

Status

Enrolling by invitation

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Detailed Description:

The NaviCam® Xpress™ Stomach System represents a novel approach to upper gastrointestinal visualization in the bariatric surgery population. This magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy (MCCE) system consists of a single-use wireless capsule that contains imaging components and magnetic materials that allow external control through a physician-operated magnet.

Technical Specifications and Procedure:

The capsule is equipped with cameras capable of capturing both still images and continuous video footage. After the patient swallows the capsule with 500ml of water, it initially descends the esophagus via natural peristalsis while continuously recording. The capsule is initially attached to a tether, which is released via a 15ml air injection mechanism once the capsule reaches the appropriate position. Once inside the stomach, the external magnetic control system allows the physician to systematically manipulate the capsule's position and orientation, enabling thorough visualization of the gastric mucosa.

Clinical Significance:

This study addresses a critical gap in pre-bariatric surgery evaluation. While traditional esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) remains the gold standard, it presents unique challenges in the bariatric population due to:

Increased sedation risks associated with high BMI Higher technical complexity of the procedure Greater risk of respiratory complications during sedation

Innovation and Technological Advancement:

This represents one of the first applications of MCCE technology specifically targeted at the bariatric surgery population. The study's focus on patients with BMI >38 kg/m² will provide valuable data about the system's performance in body habitus previously considered challenging for magnetic control systems.

The feasibility assessment incorporates multiple technical parameters:

Magnetic control responsiveness across varying body habitus Quality of mucosal visualization in different anatomical regions System reliability and technical performance metrics Procedure duration and technical success rates

This study will help establish the potential role of MCCE in the standard pre-bariatric surgery evaluation pathway and may inform future technological refinements specific to this patient population.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

30

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Ohio
      • Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44195
        • Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age ≥ 18 years old
  • Diagnosed with morbid obesity
  • Undergoing primary bariatric surgery by current international guidelines
  • BMI greater than 38 kg/m² and less than or equal to 65 kg/m²
  • Waist circumference less than or equal to 77 inches

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with permanent pacemakers and other surgically placed metallic devices which function can interfere with the magnetic field
  • Patients with dysphagia and those who are at risk of capsule retention (gastric outlet obstruction, intestinal stenosis, inflammatory bowel disease, previous abdominal surgeries with suspicious of adhesive bowel disease)
  • Patients with reported upper gastrointestinal symptoms who would require a conventional EGD
  • Patients currently participating in other clinical studies
  • Patients who do not speak English

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Magnetically Controlled Capsule Endoscopy (MCCE) Arm
Participants will undergo preoperative upper gastrointestinal tract evaluation using the NaviCam® Xpress™ Stomach System, a magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy device. After fasting overnight, participants will swallow the capsule with 500ml of water. The capsule will initially be tethered and will capture images as it descends the esophagus. Once positioned appropriately, the tether will be released via 15ml air injection, and the surgeon will control the capsule's movement in the stomach using an external magnetic control system. All participants will be followed for 14-21 days post-procedure.
Device: Magnetically Controlled Capsule Endoscopy (MCCE)
The intervention consists of a wireless capsule containing cameras and magnetic materials that enable external control. After overnight fasting, participants swallow the capsule with 500ml of water. The capsule is initially tethered and captures images as it descends the esophagus. Once appropriately positioned, the tether is released by injecting 15ml of air. A trained surgeon then controls the capsule's movement within the stomach using an external magnetic control system, allowing systematic visualization of the upper gastrointestinal tract mucosa. The procedure is performed without sedation and takes place at the Main Campus M60 facility. The capsule naturally passes through the digestive system after the examination.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Number of Participants with Successful Magnetic Control of the Capsule
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of interpretation of the MCCE images, approximately 20 days.
Successful magnetic control is defined as the ability of the NaviCam Xpress Stomach System to be moved as intended and controlled by the surgeon to all target anatomical regions. Reported as the number of participants in whom successful magnetic control was achieved.
From enrollment to the end of interpretation of the MCCE images, approximately 20 days.
Number of Participants with Adequate Visualization of the Esophageal and Gastric Mucosa
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of interpretation of the MCCE images, approximately 20 days.
Adequate visualization is defined as the NaviCam Xpress Stomach System providing satisfactory imaging of the esophageal and gastric mucosa as assessed by the operating surgeon. Reported as the number of participants in whom adequate visualization was achieved.
From enrollment to the end of interpretation of the MCCE images, approximately 20 days.
Number of Participants Completing MCCE Without Conversion to Conventional Endoscopy
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of interpretation of the MCCE images, approximately 20 days.
Defined as successful completion of the magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy procedure without the need for conversion to a conventional esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Reported as the number of participants who completed the procedure without conversion.
From enrollment to the end of interpretation of the MCCE images, approximately 20 days.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Number of Participants with Device Failure
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of interpretation of the MCCE images, approximately 20 days.
Defined as device breakage or malfunction requiring additional surgical intervention, including reoperation and/or device removal. Reported as the number of participants experiencing device failure.
From enrollment to the end of interpretation of the MCCE images, approximately 20 days.
Number of Participants with Serious Adverse Events Probably or Definitely Related to the Device
Time Frame: From enrollment to 14-21 days post-procedure.
Defined as any serious adverse event probably or definitely related to the device, including revision or removal of the device, permanent damage to the organ, or death of the study subject. Reported as the number of participants experiencing a device-related serious adverse event.
From enrollment to 14-21 days post-procedure.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Jerry Dang

Collaborators

The Cleveland Clinic
AnX Robotica Corp.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Jerry Dang, MD, PhD, The Cleveland Clinic

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

August 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

January 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 21, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 8, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 14, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 14, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 8, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 24-365

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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