Simultaneous automatic insufflation and smoke-evacuation system in flexible gastrointestinal endoscopy

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Endoscopic Surgery
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Surgical smoke in the gastrointestinal tract poses risks and traditional evacuation methods are not feasible.
• Steady Pressure Automatically Controlled Endoscopy (SPACE) offers a potential solution.
• The study aimed to assess surgical smoke hazards and automatic evacuation feasibility in endoscopy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify potential dangers associated with surgical smoke within the gastrointestinal tract.
• To evaluate the feasibility and utility of automatic smoke evacuation during flexible gastrointestinal endoscopy.
• To integrate automatic smoke evacuation with SPACE technology.

Main Methods:

• Seven pigs underwent procedures using a flexible endoscope, overtube, and CO2 insufflator for SPACE.
• Gastric mucosal ablation generated smoke for analysis and evacuation via a surgical smoke evacuator.
• Endoscopic images were evaluated subjectively, and residual smoke was quantified objectively.

Main Results:

• Ten chemical compounds were identified in the generated surgical smoke.
• Successful smoke evacuation was achieved without compromising pneumogastric space.
• A significant reduction in intraluminal smoke was observed with the evacuation system.

Conclusions:

• Surgical smoke generated within the gastrointestinal lumen presents potential hazards.
• Automatic smoke evacuation is a feasible and potentially useful adjunct to SPACE technology.
• This integrated approach enhances safety in gastrointestinal endoscopy.