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...)
Tag: GI
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...)
Micro-OCT Lets Docs Spot Tumors Below Tissue Surface
A collaboration between researchers at Nanyang Technological University, Harvard Medical School, and University of Alabama has led to the development of a prototype device capable of imaging through tissues at resolutions down to 1 micrometer (μm). The micro-OCT imager takes advantage of optical coherence tomography (OCT) at wavelengths between (Read more...)
FUJIFILM’s AI Colonic Polyp Detector Cleared in Europe
FUJIFILM is introducing a new technology that is capable of automatically detecting suspected polyps in real-time during colonoscopy exams. Called CAD EYE, the technology consists of hardware and software components that are compatible with the company’s ELUXEO 7000 endoscopy system. CAD EYE relies on FUJIFILM’s REiLI, an AI platform de (Read more...)
FDA Clears Olympus TJF-Q190V Duodenoscope With Disposable Endcap
Olympus received FDA clearance for its TJF-Q190V duodenoscope that features a single-use endcap and novel flushing adapter that reduce the chance for pathogens to settle between cases. Olympus touts that the new device has a large field of view, a reliable guidewire locking system, and precise handling. Duodenoscopes are used to perform endoscopic (Read more...)
Light Sensitive GI Devices Break Up on Demand
Most medical devices that are placed within the gastrointestinal tract have to be removed eventually. Such procedures can be challenging to perform and require anesthesia, with all its associated risks and costs. For example, thousands of bariatric balloons are deployed every year and each one of them has to be fished out a few months […]
PENTAX Releases IMAGINA LED Powered Endoscopy System
PENTAX is releasing its IMAGINA Endoscopy System in the U.S., having just received FDA clearance for the GI imaging platform. The endoscope sports two powerful and long lasting LEDs at the tip that do not require regular replacement, unlike traditional bulbs that can be costly to regularly swap for new ones. Given enough procedures, a […]
Wearables, Ingestibles, Invisibles: imec at CES 2020
The Belgian research organization imec has a dear spot in our hearts, as it helps to develop a lot of the technologies that power current and future medical devices (see flashbacks below). At CES in Las Vegas this year, imec’s Chris Van Hoof introduced us to the organization’s somewhat shifting focus toward wearable, ingestible, and, [& (Read more...)
Bioness StimRouter Cleared in Europe to Treat Fecal Incontinence
Bioness, a Valencia, California firm, won European regulatory approval for its StimRouter neuromodulation system to treat fecal incontinence. Previously cleared in the EU as a tool for managing chronic pain and overactive bladder, the new indication significantly expands the stated capabilities of this novel neuromodulation system. For the manageme (Read more...)
Flexible Sensor to Help Diagnose and Treat Swallowing Disorders
Swallowing disorders can be debilitating, even causing nutritional deficiencies in some patients. They can also be difficult to diagnose and require the use of expensive equipment that is only found in select hospitals. Exercises can help those that are diagnosed with certain conditions, but even those exercises require the use of costly devices. R (Read more...)
FDA Clears First Completely Disposable Duodenoscope
A few years ago it was discovered that duodenoscopes, which are used in Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP) procedures, were bacterial vectors, spreading disease between patients and even causing multiple deaths. This was due to insufficient processing, so some manufacturers put out devices that are easier to clean, while others (Read more...)