A Novel Flexible Ureteroscope with Omnidirectional Bending Tip Using Joystick-Type Control Unit (URF-Y0016): Initial...

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Medical Devices
• Surgical Technology

Background:

• Conventional flexible ureteroscopes have limitations in accessing lower calices and can cause surgeon strain.
• A novel ureteroscope, URF-Y0016, features an omnidirectional bending tip and joystick control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the operability and ergonomics of the novel URF-Y0016 flexible ureteroscope against a conventional model (URF-P6).
• To evaluate the impact of ureteroscope design on task completion time and surgeon comfort in bench models.

Main Methods:

• A crossover study involving 25 medical students with no prior ureteroscopic experience.
• Participants performed tasks using both URF-Y0016 and URF-P6 in simple and artificial kidney models.
• Task completion times and ergonomic factors were assessed using validated questionnaires and multivariate analysis.

Main Results:

• The URF-Y0016 group demonstrated significantly shorter task completion times compared to the URF-P6 group (p < 0.001).
• URF-Y0016 showed consistent task completion times across all renal calices, unlike URF-P6, which was slower in the lower calix (p < 0.001).
• Ergonomic assessments revealed significantly better comfort with the URF-Y0016 (p = 0.001).

Conclusions:

• The URF-Y0016 flexible ureteroscope offers superior performance in ureteroscopy compared to conventional devices.
• Its design improvements lead to faster procedures and enhanced surgeon ergonomics, potentially reducing biomechanical stress.