BioDevek, a medtech company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has developed a biomaterial adhesive that acts to seal internal wounds and incisions. The material is designed to be sprayed through a catheter, and the primary application for the technology so far is to act as a sealant following colonic polyp resection. At present, following polyp re (Read more...)
Tag: GI
Chip for Investigation of Coronavirus Intestinal Infection
At Harvard’s Wyss Institute researchers used an intestine-on-a-chip to study the way a coronavirus infects the intestines, and the influence of various drugs and immune cells on this process. The intestine chip revealed that remdesivir, a drug that received FDA emergency use authorization for COVID-19 treatment, actually damaged the intestina (Read more...)
Optical Fiber Imaging for Next-Generation Endoscopes
Researchers at the University of Exeter in England have developed a technique to image tissues through an ultrathin optical fiber, potentially allowing for high-resolution imaging of single cells within the body. The optical fibers are as thin as a human hair, and could lead to tiny endoscopes that can be inserted into human tissues to […]
Kirigami Stent for Localized Drug Delivery
Researchers at MIT have developed a kirigami-style stent that can provide localized drug delivery through needle-like projections that pop out when the stent is extended. The ‘spines’ on the stent’s surface deliver drug-loaded microparticles into the surrounding tissue, allowing for sustained drug release for an extended period. T (Read more...)
GI Genius Polyp Detection System: Interview with Giovanni Di Napoli, President, Gastrointestinal at Medtronic
We recently reported on the de novo FDA clearance received by Medtronic for its GI Genius AI polyp detection system. The product is hugely flexible as it works with any video colonoscope and provides AI powered assistance for clinicians in identifying colorectal polyps during colonoscopies. Medtronic reports that the system has significantly improv (Read more...)
3D Printed Shields Protect Guts During Radiotherapy
Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and MIT have developed 3D printed shields to protect the gastrointestinal tract from the side effects of radiotherapy. Using CT scans, the devices can be custom printed to suit each patient’s anatomy. The materials they’re made of contain high atomic number elements that help to shield t (Read more...)
Non-Surgical Solution for Fecal Incontinence: Interview with Miles Rosen, CEO of Pelvalon
Fecal incontinence can be extremely challenging for those who suffer it. The condition can be embarrassing, making it difficult for people to tell others or even their doctor about it, and it is more common than you might think. Fecal incontinence can affect anyone, but a key group of patients includes women during menopause, in […]
FDA Clears First AI Polyp Detection System for Colonoscopies
Medtronic won FDA de novo clearance for its GI Genius endoscopy technology that can spot suspicious lesions during routine colonoscopy exams. The system works with any video colonoscope and can even process pre-recorded colonoscopies. Even highly experienced gastroenterologists can miss a polyp while navigating through the colon. Computer vision te (Read more...)
Tendon-Inspired Sutures Protect Fragile Tissues
Researchers at McGill University in Canada have developed bioinspired sutures that mimic the structure of human tendons. The gel-covered sutures are slippery and tough, reducing the damage caused by conventional sutures when used on soft tissues. Interestingly, the gel surface of the sutures may allow for advanced applications such as drug delivery (Read more...)
Mussel Protein Bioglue to Seal Fistulas Inside Body
Researchers at Pohang University of Science & Technology in Korea have developed a bioglue, containing a mussel adhesive protein and hyaluronic acid, that can seal fistulas within the body. It works even on fistulas present in particularly challenging areas, such as the wall of the bladder. The researchers delivered the glue using a thin syring (Read more...)
Endoscopic Surgery Using Steerable Lasers
Applying an energy source, such as a laser, to cut through or cauterize tissue is already widely used in external surgeries, such as laser eye surgery, but using this technology safely and accurately during minimally invasive internal procedures is difficult. Current endoscopic technology does not permit lasers to be steered and manipulated with su (Read more...)
Tiny Robots Walk Through Colon to Deliver Drugs, Sample Tissue
Delivering drugs to internal organs and tissues is usually achieved through ingested medications, but these are often diluted and intercepted before enough can reach the intended destination. Targeted delivery is preferred but usually very difficult to accomplish, particularly when there’s a lot of fluids and movement. This is the case with t (Read more...)
Robotic Probe for Semi-Autonomous Colonoscopies
Researchers at the University of Leeds in the UK have developed a robotic system that can assist a physician or nurse to perform a colonoscopy. The system uses magnets to guide a probe through the body, and its developers claim that the approach is easier for operators and less painful and uncomfortable for patients. The […]
(Read more...)Intestinal Organoids Mimic Human Gut
Researchers at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have developed a mini intestine on a chip that closely mimics the morphology and cellular composition of the small intestine. The device could be useful for advancing personalized medicine, drug screening, and even paving the way for researchers to grow new (Read more...)
Colon Explorer for Automatic Imaging and Biopsying of Polyps
Millions of colonoscopies are performed every year to spot cancer as early as possible. The routine nature of these procedures and the constant need for them to be performed has led researchers at University of Colorado Boulder to develop a robotic tank-like device for traversing, imaging, and even biopsying the colon and maybe even much […]
(Read more...)Smart Capsule for Sampling Microbiome of GI Tract
The details of what goes on within the GI tract are still largely unknown to medical science. Bacteria come in a huge variety and the microbiome within the gut can be radically different from place to place. To better understand the bacterial composition of the human GI tract, researchers at Purdue University have developed a […]
A Laparoscopy Assistance Platform to Optimize Minimally Invasive Surgery: Interview with Anne Osdoit, CEO of MastOR
Minimally invasive surgery has played a huge role in improving patient outcomes, and reducing morbidity and recovery times compared with traditional surgical techniques. However, it can be a little tricky for surgeons to operate through tiny incisions and use complicated equipment, meaning that there is often a significant learning curve and traini (Read more...)
11 Health’s Free Virtual Support Platform for Chronic Digestive Disease Patients During COVID Pandemic: Interview with Michael Seres, Founder and CEO
11 Health, a medtech company based in the UK and California, has offered 12 weeks of free access to the Alfred SmartCare Platform, which allows for virtual peer and nursing support for patients with severe chronic digestive disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, and colorectal cancer. The offer is the company’s (Read more...)
Olympus High End EVIS X1 Endoscopy System Unveiled
Olympus is unveiling its new top-of-the-line endoscopy system, the EVIS X1. The company hopes that the new features offered on-board the EVIS X1 will help with the diagnosis and management of a variety of GI disorders and bronchial conditions. The system sports a number of advancements, including Extended Depth of Field (EDOF), Red Dichromatic Imag (Read more...)
Stanford’s Smart Toilet Scans Urine and Stool for Diseases
Advancements in wearable sensors have allowed us to quantify and monitor the many bio-signals, and sometimes even bio-fluids, that emanate from our bodies. But when it comes to urine and fecal matter, which can contain a wealth of information, we’ve largely relegated its inspection to the yearly physical or when helping a doctor diagnose a [& (Read more...)