A 55-year-old man was hospitalized for a neurologic and infectious workup after having
hallucinations and productive
cough for 2 days. During hospitalization, he experienced dark stools with an acute drop in
hemoglobin. Upper endoscopy and colonoscopy were negative for an identifiable source of bleed.
Capsule endoscopy was later done and subsequently an anteroposterior abdominal radiograph confirmed the presence of a retained
capsule near the junction of the descending and distal transverse colon, likely contained within a
colonic diverticulum. In the interim, the patient developed acute right-sided lumbar
radiculopathy prompting emergent lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). During the scanning process, the retained
capsule was seen and the test was immediately terminated without harm to the patient. Device retention is a complication unique to
capsule endoscopy, occurring at a rate of 1% to 1.7%; retained devices are considered a danger and
contraindication to MRI.