Rodiyan Gibran Sentanu, BEng, Masayuki Teranuma, BEng, Takuro Ishii, MEng, Kazuya Kawamura, PhD, Tatsuo Igarashi, MD, PhD
Department of Medical System Engineering, Division of Artificial Systems Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
Objective of the device
One of the impediments of modern endoscopy, especially in the colonoscopy, is the formation of undesired loops in the shaft of a flexible endoscope. Loop formation may prohibit expeditious and safe passage of the scope from the rectum to the cecum by dispersing the force of pushing the scope forward by converting it into pushing the wall of the colon or mesentery. Common adjunct maneuvers used to avoid loop formation are the handling of external abdominal pressure or alteration of patient’s positioning. Although oftentimes successful, these maneuvers are labor intensive and may hinder the efficiency of the endoscopy unit. We developed a multi-channel shape-locking overtube device that has controllable rigidity to lock the route of inserting the endoscope advancing and withdrawing inside the digestive tract.
Description of the technology and method of its use or application
The device consists of a multi-channel overtube as shape-locking device and a semirigid overtube as insertion tools. The multi-channel overtube was consisting of foil tube which separated into several segment. Each segment, 10 cm in length, was filled with particles and connected with vacuum device via small plastic tube. The particles will rigidify by creating a vacuum in each tube segment. Before insertion, the multi-channel overtube was set inside semirigid overtube in flip condition. Overtube are inserted by pushing the semirigid overtube following the endoscope. Each segment are then rigidify after it was deploy on each position. After the endoscope reach the target, multi-channel overtube will completely turn into rigid body and semirigid overtube should be removed in order to gain more space inside the multi-channel overtube. The overtube system was verified to function as an effective method to prevent the formation of undesired loop. This system also provide stable and fix route from rectum into desired target that also enables exchange of multiple devices without any risks for hurting the colon wall which caused by friction with devices. Thus, it will enable surgeon to perform more complicated surgery by providing many kind of surgery devices.
Preliminary results
Using the prototype model, the multi-channel shape-locking overtube system worked in extending and rigidifying action, It was clarified that balance between required diameter and rigidity of the overtube are important because the rigidity of the system depends on its thickness.
Conclusions/Future directions
The multi-channel shape-locking overtube system was able to prevent undesired loop and also might increase the possibility of performing other kind of surgery which cannot be done under conventional endoscope. More study is mandatory in order to make the system one of clinical tools in the future through determining the adequate materials that will fulfill thinness and rigidity.
Session: Poster Presentation
Program Number: ETP041
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