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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Endosc Int Open 2021; 09(04): E537-E542
DOI: 10.1055/a-1352-3688
Original article

Feasibility study of a single-use balloon-assisted robotic colonoscope in healthy volunteers

Chi-Chung Foo
1   Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
,
Wai-Keung Leung
2   Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
,
Thomas Ka-Luen Lui
3   Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
,
Jo Lai-Ken Cheung
4   Bio-Medical Engineering (HK) Limited, Hong Kong SAR
,
Kwok-Wai Lam
4   Bio-Medical Engineering (HK) Limited, Hong Kong SAR
5   Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
,
Biji Sreedhar
4   Bio-Medical Engineering (HK) Limited, Hong Kong SAR
,
Chung-Kwong Yeung
1   Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
4   Bio-Medical Engineering (HK) Limited, Hong Kong SAR
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Abstract

Background and study aims Despite its widespread adoption, colonoscope still has its limitations. Advancement is often limited by the looping of colon. The isolation of SARS-CoV-2 in stool raises concern for the risk of disease transmission. A single-use robotic colonoscope, the NISInspire-C System, that features a balloon-suction anchorage mechanism was developed to address these.

Methods The NISInspire-C balloons are designed to provide anchorage for straightening of the colon during advancement. Angulation at the bending section is tendon-wire driven by servo mechanisms integrated into a robotic control console. This was a pilot, prospective trial to evaluate the safety and feasibility of this system. Healthy volunteers underwent examination with the NISInspire-C, followed by the conventional colonoscope. The procedure time, cecal intubation rates (CIR), complications, and level of pain were measured.

Results A total of 19 subjects underwent the examination. The cecal intubation rate was 89.5 % (17/19) and the overall time-to-cecum was 26.3 minutes (SD: 17.9 mins). There were no procedure-related complications. Polyps were detected in seven of 19 (36.8 %) subjects during the NISInspire-C procedure. Three more subjects were found to have adenomatous polyps with the conventional colonoscope. There was minimal variation in level of pain during the procedures with the two colonoscopes.

Conclusion The single-use robotic colonoscope NISInspire-C is a safe and feasible alternative to the conventional colonoscope. Further technical refinement is needed to improve the CIR. This study was limited by its small sample size.



Publication History

Received: 28 August 2020

Accepted: 30 November 2020

Article published online:
17 March 2021

© 2021. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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Comment to this article:

Endoscopy International Open – recently publishedEndoscopy 2021; 53(05): 564-564
DOI: 10.1055/a-1373-8840

 

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