Method for collecting/transporting a medical capsule and endoscopic apparatus for the method

A method for collecting/transporting a medical capsule by holding the medical capsule using an endoscopic apparatus which has an endoscope having an inserting section to be inserted in a body cavity with a distal end including an observation section to observe a subject and a suction opening, a sucking device in communication with the suction opening, and a generally cylindrical hood member which is attached to the distal end of the inserting section, wherein

• the hood member is a generally cylindrical member having:
• at least two internal areas of a base end side internal space area and a distal side internal space area in a direction of an insertion shaft of an inserting section, and
• a distal end with an outer circumferential surface of the hood member is formed with a plurality of grooves which extend along a longitudinal direction of the hood member, and each of the grooves is provided at intervals along a circumferential direction of the hood member, the method comprising:
• an attaching step of fitting and attaching the distal end of the insertion section to the base end side internal space area in a direction from the base end towards the distal end along the insertion shaft,
• a sucking step of storing the medical capsule into the distal side internal space area in a direction from the distal end towards the base end along the insertion shaft and actuating to suck the inside of the distal side internal space area that stored the medical capsule via the suction opening to make in said inside a low pressure vacuum;
• and
• a holding step of attracting and holding the medical capsule to the hood member sucked by the sucking step,
• wherein said grooves allow the distal end of the hood member to be deflected for holding the medical capsule.