Developing essential rigid-flexible outer sheath to enable novel multi-piercing surgery.

Area of Science:

• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Surgical Device Engineering
• Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Background:

• Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) faces challenges in tissue closure, triangulation, and platform stability.
• Needlescopic surgery (NS) is limited by a restricted visual field, potential organ damage, and difficulties in specimen retrieval.
• Existing surgical technologies require மேம்படுத்தல் to overcome these limitations for safer and more effective procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel rigid-flexible outer sheath device designed to address limitations in NOTES and NS.
• To introduce a device with enhanced maneuverability, stability, and integrated functionalities for advanced endoscopic procedures.

Main Methods:

• Development of a rigid-flexible outer sheath incorporating a pneumatic shape-locking mechanism for selective shape control.
• Integration of four-directional distal flexion, four working channels, and suction/water jet capabilities.
• In vivo testing of the prototype device in a swine model for partial gastrectomy.

Main Results:

• The novel outer sheath system demonstrated successful pre-clinical performance in a swine model.
• The device's shape-locking mechanism allowed for selective rigidity and flexibility.
• The integrated features facilitated complex surgical maneuvers during the partial gastrectomy procedure.

Conclusions:

• The developed rigid-flexible outer sheath system shows significant promise for overcoming critical challenges in NOTES and NS.
• This advanced device has the potential to improve surgical outcomes and expand the applicability of minimally invasive endoscopic techniques.
• Further research and clinical validation are warranted to fully establish the benefits of this innovative surgical tool.