This one is not for the faint of heart. If you’ve got the stamina to take a cinematic wonder ride through your own colon, German invendo medical GmbH is developing, and has already demonstrated, a colonoscope with a special “drive-in” unit. In other words, no need to shove and push, the colonoscope drives itself in, and can be controlled on its merry way via a joystick/remote control.
Here’s what the company says about its device:
invendo’s single-use colonoscope, the invendoscope™ SC 40, consists of an endoscope sheath with an electrohydraulic deflecting tip (including camera head) and an inverted sleeve. The inverted sleeve technology causes the invendoscope™ SC 40 to >>grow<< just below the deflection, when advancing, and to >>shrink<<, when retreating. Therefore no relative movement to the colon wall exists and, in combination with its very small bending diameter, the inverted sleeve technology reduces the forces exerted by the invendoscope™ SC 40 on the colon wall. Even Alpha loops and difficult colon sections can be passed with minimal discomfort, despite the patient being unsedated. Sedationless colonoscopy will result in costs savings, higher patient turnover and less potential complications, helping to optimize the processes in endoscopy departments and offices. The invendoscope™ SC 40 is delivered ready-for-use and after the examination the complete endoscope, including camera head, is discarded. No cleaning and disinfecting is required.
Therefore each patient has his/her >>personal<< invendoscope™ SC 40 for their examination, eliminating any potential crossinfection risk. No reprocessing also simplifies the workflows in the endoscopy department or office, and also minimizes or eliminates any future investments into endoscope cleaning and disinfecting equipment. With the invendoscope™ SC 40 the physician simply drives according to the lumen on the monitor and follows the anatomy of the colon.The colonoscope is steered manipulating the joystick of the handheld device, which deflects the endoscope tip electro-hydraulically 180° in any direction - even inversions in the rectum are possible.
The forward and backward drive mode for the invendoscope™ SC40 is activated using push buttons on the handheld – if not pressed, the endoscope automatically stops. Therefore the physician always controls the invendoscope™ SC 40. Currently applied conventional colonoscopy manoeuvres, such as straightening, are rarely required, simplifying colonoscopy.
The forward and backward drive mode for the invendoscope™ SC40 is activated using push buttons on the handheld – if not pressed, the endoscope automatically stops. Therefore the physician always controls the invendoscope™ SC 40. Currently applied conventional colonoscopy manoeuvres, such as straightening, are rarely required, simplifying colonoscopy.Press release: Pilot study demonstrates feasibility of ‘sedationless’ colonoscopy …
Product page: invendo medical – The Future of Endoscopy
(hat tip: MTB Europe)