Engineer Designs Micro-Endoscope to Seek out Early Signs of Cancer Nov 22, 2009
21, 2009) Traditional endoscopes provide a peek inside patients' bodies ... Physicians currently insert camera-equipped endoscopes into patients to hunt visible abnormalities, such as tumors, in the gastrointestinal tract and internal organs ... "Right now, endoscopes just take pictures of the surface tissue. So, if you see some injury, or abnormality, on the surface, that's good," Xie said. (Science Daily)
New surgery brings relief from GERD Nov 10, 2009
He has performed the surgery laparoscopically for 15 years, but the EsophyX device is relatively new and is performed using an endoscope inserted through a patient's mouth. GERD patients are being drawn to it because it's completely noninvasive - requires no injection, cutting or penetration of the skin. (The Clarion-Ledger)
High-definition Colonoscopy Detects More Polyps, Researchers Say Nov 1, 2009
"There hasn't been a definitive trial to see whether high-definition colonoscopy detects more polyps or not, and this was a natural experiment, designed to ask if use of one endoscope or another makes a difference in day-to-day clinical practice," says the study's senior investigator, gastroenterologist Michael Wallace, M.D., a professor of medicine at the College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic ... This study was conducted between September 2006 and December 2007 when Mayo Clinic in Florida was... (Science Daily)
Doc takes health care to the needy Oct 28, 2009
On this day, he's using an endoscope, to look down Elena Espinoza's throat, into her esophagus, for a possible malignancy. Joe Greer sees many patients who can't pay him. (CNN)
Olympus introduces the VisiGlide, a single-use guidewire Oct 28, 2009
By integrating Terumo's advanced materials processing technology with Olympus' endoscope and device combination technology, VisiGlide is expected to provide improved guidewire insertability and maneuverability in the bile and pancreatic ducts sites that are traditionally difficult to reach endoscopically ... The pancreatobiliary ducts are the most difficult site in the gastrointestinal tract to approach endoscopically, resulting in complex and protracted procedures in which multiple devices... (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
Hoya's Hamada Targets $1 Billion Health-Care Takeover After Pentax Deal Oct 27, 2009
An acquisition of a health-care business would help President expand the companys most-profitable , and build on a strategy that led to the 2007 purchase of endoscope maker Pentax. Hoya is also seeking to partner a consumer-electronics company such as to compete with larger rivals in the camera market, Hamada said. (Bloomberg -- Japan)
Improved Endo Capsule Software enhances diagnostic experience Oct 24, 2009
Endo Capsule also includes eight high-contrast levels and seven passive structure enhancement levels, similar to Olympus' endoscope technology, for physicians to customize the viewing experience to suit their eyes ... Gastrointestinal endoscopes, accessories, and minimally invasive surgical products. (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
How organs are selected for transplant Oct 16, 2009
" Watson told CNN that organs are thoroughly tested for suitability before they are transplanted. He said that once a patient has been diagnosed as brain dead and donation is a possibility, a donor coordinator will approach their family to learn more about the patient's history. Medics ask about the donor's medical history and lifestyle. They also take a blood test and may contact the donor's doctor for more information. But Watson stresses that medics only have a few hours between diagnosis of... (CNN -- Health)
Olympus introduces new medical devices designed for laparo-endoscopic single-site surgery Oct 16, 2009
LESS surgery is an advanced, minimally invasive surgical technique in which an endoscope and hand instruments are inserted through an access port via a single incision often made in the navel ... Gastrointestinal endoscopes, accessories, and minimally invasive surgical products. (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
Security paint Oct 1, 2009
"In a medical setting, you could transmit large volumes of data from a medical device, such as an endoscope, to a computer. You could block phone signals from outside and stop people's phones ringing during the movie. Shin-ichi Ohkoshi, University of Tokyo "By painting a solution containing our magnetic particles on the walls, you would quickly, and effectively, shield the room from stray electromagnetic radiation from outside. " While paints blocking lower frequencies have been available for... (BBC News -- Technology)
What surgery will look like in the future Sep 26, 2009
Rustic says one innovation on the horizon is a device being developed by Imperial College that would allow a surgeon to remotely control an endoscope while a patient is inside a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine, which would give real-time image feedback during gastric procedures and prostate biopsies. But he adds that currently, robotic surgery devices are often prohibitively expensive and tend to be used for a narrow range of procedures. (CNN -- Tech)
Acid Reflux Doesn't Just Cause Heartburn Sep 25, 2009
Gastroenterologists can diagnose acid reflux by slipping a thin, flexible instrument (endoscope) through the mouth and down the esophagus ... Nick had an Endoscope which detected Gerd and Barrett's Esophagus, he was told to take Aciphex indefinitely by his primary Internal Medicine Doctor and his GI Doctor ... The primary Internal Medicine Doctor continued to prescribe Aciphex, but never once discussed Barretts, nor any discussion of Acid Reflex, Gerd, or Barretts, nor any notes in the file to... (CBS News -- Health)
By a Nose: Brand New Brain Surgery Sep 15, 2009
In this procedure, an endoscope is put through the nasal passages and an incision is made in the back by an otolaryngologist -- an ear, nose and throat surgeon -- and then handed off to a neurosurgeon to remove tumors at the base of the ... Black said that using the endoscope in place of the microscope presents a tradeoff -- advantageous in some aspects but a disadvantage in others ... With the endoscope, he said, the operation is a bit less invasive because the incision is made further back in... (ABC News)
Minimally Invasive Treatment Found Effective For Esophageal Cancer Sep 14, 2009
The endoscopic mucosal resection patients underwent a procedure where a liquid is injected under the lesion and then an endoscope is used to shave off the lesions. The other patients underwent more traditional esophagectomy or removal of the esophagus. (Science Daily)
Artificial intelligence helps diagnose cardiac infections Sep 13, 2009
It involves use of an endoscope and insertion of a probe down the esophagus. The software program is called an "artificial neural network" (ANN) because it mimics the brain's cognitive function and reacts differently to situations depending on its accumulated knowledge. (EurekAlert!)
New Therapy Spares Organ in Early Esophageal Cancer Sep 3, 2009
The patients who underwent the less invasive procedure -- endoscopic mucosal resection -- had a liquid injected under the lesion and then an endoscope was used to shave off the lesions. The other patients underwent the traditional removal of the esophagus, or esophagectomy. (MEDLINEplus)
Smokers' Tongues Fail Taste Test Aug 21, 2009
Pavlidis Pavlos led a team of researchers from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki who used electrical stimulation to test the taste threshold of the soldiers and endoscopes to measure the number and shape of a kind of taste bud called fungiform papillae ... Upon close examination with a contact endoscope, the smoker's tongues had flatter fungiform papillae, with a reduced blood supply. (Science Daily)
Lucky survivors rescued by Fla. turtle hospital Aug 7, 2009
Mader enters Rocky's body with an endoscope; a crack in her shell glows orange from the light. On a small Sony screen, the black-and-white image shows her insides _ lungs, kidneys, intestines. (Chippewa Falls Chippewa Herald, WI)
PuriCore to buy Labcaire for $5.6 million Aug 6, 2009
purchased , a United Kingdom supplier and manufacturer of endoscope disinfection equipment and air filtration systems, Wednesday in a deal valued at up to $5. 6 million. (Philadelphia Business Journal, PA)
Misonix Announces the Sale of Its Labcaire Business for up to $5.6 Million Aug 5, 2009
Misonix will also receive a commission paid on sales for the period commencing on the date of closing and ending on December 31, 2013 of 8% of the pass through Automated Endoscope Reprocessing ("AER") and Drying Cabinet products, and 5% of license fees from any chemical licenses marketed by Labcaire directly associated with sales of AER's, specifically for the disinfection of the endoscope. The aggregate commission payable to Misonix is subject to a maximum payment of $1,000,000. (PR Newswire)
Laser microsurgery for tongue cancer is as effective as invasive open surgery according to new study Jul 21, 2009
The surgery is performed through the opening of the mouth using an endoscope with a lighted camera and microscopic lens to view the area. Using a CO-2 laser and micro-staging, surgeons carefully remove the tumor in small pieces minimizing disruption to nearby tissues, thereby reducing complications and the likelihood of infections. (EurekAlert!)
Popular Heart Bypass Method Causes Risks Jul 17, 2009
Using an endoscope to remove leg veins for heart bypass surgery appears to damage the veins and makes patients 52 percent more likely to die within three years, doctors reported on Wednesday ... Endoscopes are little cameras that can be inserted, sometimes with surgical instruments, via a small incision in the skin. (Newsmax)
Capsule Endoscopy vs. Colonoscopy for Detecting Polyps and Cancer Jul 16, 2009
Background An ingestible capsule consisting of an endoscope equipped with a video camera at both ends was designed to explore the colon. This study compared capsule endoscopy with optical colonoscopy for the detection of colorectal polyps and cancer. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Weight Loss Surgery Doesn't Leave Scar Jul 16, 2009
It's done via endoscope put into a patient's mouth and down the esophagus, leaving no scars. And because surgical incisions are often painful and at risk of infection, testing so far shows that the TOGA procedure can reduce recovery time from weeks to days. (Click2Houston, TX)
A gentler choicefor a hysterectomy Jul 8, 2009
Robin Rombach/Post-Gazette Dr. James Garver watches a monitor as he places the endoscope inside the abdomen of a patient to prepare for a hysterectomy using the da Vinci surgical robot at Allegheny General Hospital ... In the da Vinci, the surgeon sits at a console and, while using both hand and foot controls and viewing a highly magnified three-dimensional image of the surgical area, operates two or three instrument arms and a camera/light called an endoscope. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Incisionless Procedure Reverses Weight Gain Jul 2, 2009
To perform ROSE, a small, flexible endoscope and tools are inserted through the mouth, down the esophagus, and into the stomach pouch during an outpatient procedure. The tools, developed by USGI Medical Inc., are used to grasp, fold and stitch tissue to reduce both the diameter of the stomach opening and the volume of the stomach pouch. (Newsmax)
Slow down, stat! Jun 21, 2009
" That's the sound of the castor oil called health care reform being administered to the country. It's not that the country doesn't need health care reform; it's just that the country doesn't need stitches when the underlying wound hasn't been fully studied. The Obama administration has set an aggressive deadline for Congress to overhaul the entire U.S. health care apparatus. How can we expect a comprehensive, well-thought-out plan in six weeks, when there have been 40-plus years of failed... (The Augusta Chronicle)
VA officials grilled over botched colonoscopies Jun 17, 2009
Providing new details on the mistakes found at Miami's center, for example, the report said workers there didn't know for almost five years that they should have been sterilizing an irrigation part on an endoscope used for routine colonoscopies. They also weren't cleaning a water tube between each procedure as recommended by the manufacturer and were mistakenly attaching the water system to the scope during the colonoscopy instead of before, possibly allowing contamination of sterile components. (Yahoo News)
Abdominal Surgery May Become Easier for Patients Jun 5, 2009
Doctors pass an endoscope through a natural opening in the body and then through an internal incision in the stomach, vagina, bladder or colon. This eliminates external incisions and scars. (MEDLINEplus)
New Tests Spot Tough-to-Detect Cancers Sooner Jun 5, 2009
Doctors typically look for tumors in the bile duct and pancreas region by snaking an endoscope down a patient's throat and into those areas of the body. But because the bile duct is narrow, it is hard for medical personnel to determine what is normal and what is a further stricture -- or narrowing -- caused by a tumor. (MEDLINEplus)
New technique for scarless operations Jun 4, 2009
NOTES is performed by passing an endoscope through a natural orifice, or opening, then through an internal incision in the stomach, vagina, bladder or colon, thus avoiding any external incisions or scars. For the first time, NOTES was used for incisionless weight loss surgery known as Transoral Gastroplasty- the novel procedure, aimed at patients in need of intermediate weight loss. (India Times, India)
Worth of Sigmoidoscopy Screening for Colon Cancer Still Uncertain Jun 3, 2009
In addition, there is flexible sigmoidoscopy, which uses a flexible endoscope to examine the large intestine only. There are also noninvasive tests such as fecal occult blood sampling and CT colonoscopy. (MEDLINEplus)
Mayo Clinic finds new pathology tests double sensitivity to detect bile duct and pancreatic cancers Jun 1, 2009
Physicians insert an endoscope down the throat and into the bile duct and pancreas region to examine possible tumors; however, the narrowness of the bile duct makes it difficult to distinguish benign and malignant strictures. In this study, 498 patients with pancreatobiliary duct narrowing underwent an endoscopic procedure, and cell brushings were taken. (EurekAlert!)
Study in the New England Journal of Medicine Shows Non-Surgical Treatment for Pre-Cancerous Condition of Esophagus is Effective and Reduces Risk for Cancer Development May 28, 2009
The HALO90 System is the company's second ablation product, which is mounted on the end of an endoscope and used to treat smaller, non-circumferential areas of disease. Both HALO systems are cleared by the FDA for use in the U.S. and both have CE Mark for use in Europe. (PR Newswire)
Sinus Surgery Relieves Stubborn Sinusitis May 19, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009. SIGN UP FOR FREE NEWS ALERTS. (Newsmax)
Liquid lens creates tiny flexible laser on a chip May 12, 2009
Currently, for an endoscope operator to focus light on a specific internal location, the probe itself must be manipulated into place, sometimes causing discomfort. With these fluidic lenses, aiming. (EurekAlert!)
No sexy ailment May 4, 2009
"However, the symptoms I started to experience were very acute - I was experiencing horrendous pain in my lower left abdomen and down my left hand-side. Endoscope view of the colon affected by diverticular disease. It causes sacs (in brown) to form and protrude from the colon wall. "The pain, which went on for days, was worse than childbirth". Christine also had prolonged periods of upset stomach, and lost two stone (12.7 kgs) over three months. "It is not the sexiest of ailments to have. You... (BBC News)
Study examines radiation dose estimates for pregnant women undergoing therapeutic ERCP Apr 29, 2009
To reach the ducts, an endoscope is passed through the mouth, beyond the stomach and into the small intestine (duodenum). A thin tube is then inserted through the endoscope into the common bile duct and pancreatic duct connecting the liver and pancreas to the intestine ... Using flexible, thin tubes called endoscopes, endoscopists are able to access the human digestive tract without incisions via natural orifices. (EurekAlert!)
Extent of dirty VA hospital equipment unknown Apr 28, 2009
On Friday, the VA revealed that , bringing the total to four such cases among patients who got endoscope procedures at hospitals in Miami, Murfreesboro, Tenn. and Augusta, Ga. (MSNBC -- Health)
Tool offers hope in curing preemie eye disease Apr 14, 2009
Step 2: In Los Angeles, Lee uses the OCT images to help decide which preemies need surgery and then cuts away the scar tissue using a special endoscope, an ultra-thin probe from New Jersey-based Endo-Optiks that lets him see behind the iris, deeper than standard surgical microscopes. Trying to look into an eye that has RoP and operate is like driving on a highway right behind a tractor-trailer with only 5 feet between the two of you at 70 miles per hour. (MSNBC -- Health)
Medical center introduces high-definition endoscopy center Apr 8, 2009
Now, Lake Pointe Medical Center introduces the HDTV technology as part of a new endoscope platform in their new state-of-the-art, four-suite Endoscopy Center ... Dr. Paul Zopolsky, gastroenterologist, is one of the physicians at Lake Pointe Medical Center who already uses the new endoscope platform, delivering both HDTV and Narrow Band Imaging (NBI) technologies ... The HDTV signal from the endoscope platform s video processor is designed to produce 1080 lines of resolution, more than twice the... (McKinney Courier-Gazette, TX)
World’s First Successful ViKY Robot-assisted Surgery For Pancreatic Tumors Mar 28, 2009
Typically with minimally invasive procedures, like a laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy, surgeons use both hands to manipulate the surgical tools and need an assistant to manipulate the endoscope a thin, lighted tube equipped with a camera that allows the surgeon to view the surgical field ... The endoscope moves according to the surgeon's orders, either through voice recognition or footswitch control. (Science Daily)
Colonoscopy contamination at VA facilities Mar 26, 2009
Hospital officials said a review of safety procedures found that tubing used in endoscope procedures was rinsed but not disinfected. In the first 24 hours after the letters were released, the Miami VA got more than 2,600 calls and checked out more than 350 patients. (CNN -- Health)
Vets Get HIV Warning After Colonoscopies Mar 25, 2009
Patients who underwent procedures with an endoscope between May 2004 and March 12, 2009, at the VA Medical Center in Miami can call 1-877-575-7256 for more information. Distributed by Internet Broadcasting. (KIRO TV, WA)
Not Your Father's Science Class Mar 19, 2009
Roth will perform a minimally invasive, or endoscopic surgery, using an endoscope (a lighted tube with a magnifying camera, inserted through small incisions). This type of surgery now accounts for a significant percentage of all operations, ranging from gall bladder surgery to heart bypasses. (Cincinnati Nation)
HALO Can Help Prevent Fatal Esophageal Cancer Mar 18, 2009
Schafer said HALO uses an endoscope to safely burn off the unhealthy Barrett's tissue in about 60 minutes -- a big difference from the invasive surgery patients endured in the past. "The only way to handle that previously was to cut out the end of the esophagus and pull the stomach into the chest to meet the remaining esophagus," Schafer said. (7 KETV Omaha)
Gallbladder Removal Through Vagina Offers Minimally Invasive Alternative Mar 5, 2009
When the gallbladder is removed through the vagina, a thin, flexible snake-like device, called an endoscope, is inserted through a small incision in the vaginal wall and into the abdomen ... (July 29, 2008) In April of last year, surgeons at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center made headlines by removing a women's gallbladder through her uterus using a flexible endoscope ... 22, 2007) Doctors have removed a woman's gall bladder using a flexible endoscope with only... (Science Daily)
Intuitive Surgical Announces Share Repurchase Program Mar 5, 2009
The da Vinci(r) Surgical System consists of a surgeon's viewing and control console having an integrated, high-performance InSite(r) 3-D, high definition vision system, a patient-side cart consisting of three or four robotic arms that position and precisely maneuver endoscopic instruments and an endoscope, and a variety of articulating EndoWrist(r) Instruments. By integrating computer-enhanced technology with surgeons' technical skills, Intuitive believes that its system enables surgeons to... (Primezone Releases)
Patients warned of infection risk Mar 5, 2009
The center is notifying about 1,300 patients who underwent gastrointestinal procedures with endoscopes that might not have been properly sanitized, according to the letter dated Tuesday. An internal quality review of the medical facility on Ronald Reagan Drive discovered that the staff did not follow a manufacturer's recommendation to sanitize the endoscope for at least five minutes. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Will a Bendable Laser Scalpel Make the Cut? Mar 5, 2009
OmniGuide's laser can also be used with a flexible fiber tipped endoscope. "The surgeon can go through the nose, mouth, ear or other small openings," Schindel says, "and [laser] and view at the same time.". (Scientific American)
Water method for unsedated colonoscopy; interval between prep and colonoscopy predicts prep quality Mar 2, 2009
Endoscopy is a procedure that uses an endoscope -- a thin, flexible tube with a light and a lens on the end to look into the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, small intestine, colon, or rectum, in order to diagnose or treat a condition ... Using flexible, thin tubes called endoscopes, endoscopists are able to access the human digestive tract without incisions via natural orifices ... Endoscopes are designed with high-intensity lighting and fitted with precision devices that allow viewing and... (EurekAlert!)
Engineers Tune A Nanoscale Grating Structure To Trap And Release A Variety Of Light Waves Mar 1, 2009
28, 2009) People debating politics are well-advised to shed more light than heat. Engineers working in optical technologies have the same aspiration. (Science Daily)
Olympus introduces first endoscopic ultrasound processor for digestive and pulmonary diseases Feb 17, 2009
"Many of Olympus' ultrasound endoscopes and probes that previously required different processors can now be used with one system -- possibly reducing cost and procedure time while providing the best quality imaging with color Doppler and electronic scanning." ... By guiding an endoscope with an ultrasound transducer at its tip, sound beyond the range of human hearing is emitted within body cavities and creates images of the targeted areas ... Olympus offers diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopes... (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
Nonsurgical Acid Reflux Therapies Work Feb 7, 2009
Both are done using an endoscope, a long flexible instrument inserted through the mouth and down the esophagus. One procedure called full-thickness plication uses the endoscope to tighten the junction between the esophagus and the stomach with sutures. (MEDLINEplus)
Study: Colonoscopies have limitations Feb 7, 2009
Other possibilities are that it's harder for an endoscope to reach the right side than the left side, or that the treatment you drink to clean out the colon before you get screened isn't being taken properly. Most likely there's a combination of these factors going on. (CNN -- Health)
Traditional Nonsurgical GERD Treatments Not Impressive Feb 7, 2009
The others had full-thickness plication, in which a long, narrow tube called an endoscope carries in instruments to suture the junction between the stomach and the esophagus. In an average follow-up of six months, the incidence of moderate to severe heartburn decreased from 55 percent to 22 percent among those undergoing radiofrequency therapy. (MEDLINEplus)
