Recording forces exerted on the bowel wall during colonoscopy: in vitro evaluation.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Devices
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Colonoscopy is a crucial diagnostic tool for colorectal diseases.
• Assessing forces exerted during colonoscopy is vital for patient safety and procedure effectiveness.
• Current colonoscopes lack integrated force-sensing capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel distributed force measurement system for colonoscopes.
• To integrate soft miniature piezoresistive transducers into a colonoscope sheath.
• To assess the system's impact on colonoscope maneuverability and flexibility.

Main Methods:

• A piezoresistive sensing system was developed using miniature transducers integrated into a colonoscope sheath.
• The system was designed to measure forces between the colonoscope shaft and the bowel wall.
• Experiments were conducted on a large bowel model to validate force measurements.

Main Results:

• The sensing sheath minimally impacted colonoscope propulsion and flexibility, increasing diameter by 15-20%.
• Transducer accuracy was +/-20g under normal conditions, increasing to +/-50g under large static forces.
• Preliminary results confirmed predicted force locations and magnitudes, with most forces occurring during instrument looping.

Conclusions:

• The novel force measurement system is a viable addition to colonoscopes, enhancing safety.
• The system accurately detects forces during colonoscopy, particularly during looping.
• This technology has the potential to improve colonoscopy procedures and reduce patient trauma.