Introducing the Sanguis-Filum for Detection of Gastric Mucosal Lesions Prior to Endoscopy: A Study Protocol.

Early diagnosis of gastric cancer (GC) is compromised by a lack of specific signs to enable identification of affected individuals. We designed the Sanguis-filum (S-filum) as a simple bedside tool that could be used to detect the presence of gastric mucosal lesions prior to endoscopy. We previously published evidence that at a sensitivity of 91%, the presence of free blood in the stomach was associated with mucosal lesions. The S-filum is made of an inert but absorbent string coiled up in a gelatin capsule (Capsuline, FL, USA), which can be swallowed and the string retrieved to test for free blood. Preliminary testing of the S-filum was successfully conducted on healthy volunteers. We now intend to test it on actual patients, comparing the results to oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) findings. This will enable us to determine the diagnostic accuracy of the S-filum at detecting GC and other mucosal lesions. The S-filum as a bedside tool has the potential to assist healthcare providers to identify individuals likely to have early gastric mucosal lesions and requiring OGD examination. The S-filum could, in the long run, facilitate population-wide screening for early GC prior to endoscopy.