Endoscopy Unit featured in new Channel 5 series

The London Clinic features in a new Channel 5 series by the late Dr. Michael Mosley: Wonders of the Human Body.

Watch episode three of the series (aired Thursday 5th September) to see two of our Endoscopy Nurses take Dr. Mosley through a capsule endoscopy procedure, to check on his bowel health.

This series, one of Dr. Mosley’s final TV projects, takes viewers on a journey around the human body seeking answers to the questions we all have about our own bodies.

The footage taken at The London Clinic was shot in October 2023. Channel 5 worked closely with Dr. Mosley’s family to get the show ready for transmission, following his unexpected death in June 2024.  

During his visit, Dr. Mosley underwent a video capsule endoscopy (VCE), which involved him swallowing a pill sized capsule under the instruction of an endoscopy nurse. He was then sent home with a specialised recording device which sent digital images back to the endoscopy team for review.

You can watch his experience, and the episode online here.

How does a capsule endoscopy work?

• Inside the capsule is a small, wireless camera that captures thousands of images of a patient’s digestive tract, which extends from the mouth to the anus.
• These images help diagnose conditions affecting the small bowel (small intestine), such as Crohn’s disease, and find out why patients may be experiencing weight loss, chronic diarrhea or bleeding from the bowels.
• Compared to a traditional small bowel endoscopy (or small bowel enteroscopy), video capsule endoscopy offers several advantages as it takes less time, is more comfortable, and typically has fewer side effects.
• After the patient has swallowed the capsule and the recorder has been attached, they’re free to go home and get on with their day.
• Then after around eight hours, the capsule should have passed through your bowel through a bowel movement, and can safely be flushed down the toilet.
• The images from your recording device are downloaded and studied closely by your consultant. This usually takes a few weeks to get your results.

You can read more about The London Clinic’s capsule endoscopy procedure below, as well as access our rapid diagnostic services here, if you have any health concerns.