Gastrointestinal motility revisited: The wireless motility capsule

The wireless motility capsule (WMC) is a novel ambulatory technology that concurrently measures intraluminal pH, temperature, and pressure as it traverses the gastrointestinal tract.

We aim to provide a concise summary of the WMC, detailing the procedure for its administration and the parameters it records. We also review the evidence that has validated the WMC against other methods currently regarded as 'gold standard'.

The WMC offers a number of advantages over and above current techniques, especially with respect to patient tolerability, safety, and standardization. The WMC represents a considerable enhancement of the researchers' and clinicians' investigatory armamentarium. If this technology becomes widely adopted, coupled with international consensus upon the interpretation of physiological data derived therein, it may herald a new and exciting era in gastrointestinal physiology.