A Soft Sensor for Bleeding Detection in Colonoscopies.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Gastroenterology
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Colonoscopies are crucial for diagnosing gastrointestinal diseases but carry a risk of bleeding.
• Detecting and assessing bleeding severity during colonoscopies is challenging for surgeons.
• Current methods lack real-time, sensitive blood detection at the source.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present a novel soft sensor for real-time blood detection during colonoscopies.
• To enable surgeons to identify bleeding sites and evaluate severity accurately.
• To enhance patient safety by providing immediate alerts for gastrointestinal bleeding.

Main Methods:

• A compact, 1 mm thick soft sensor featuring optical waveguides integrated with a microfluidic channel.
• The sensor utilizes changes in light absorption and scattering caused by blood flow.
• Real-time optical loss detection and analysis via a graphical user interface.

Main Results:

• The sensor successfully detects the presence of blood in under 100 milliseconds.
• It can differentiate between blood and other gastric fluids based on optical loss.
• The device is suitable for circumferential mounting on colonoscopes.

Conclusions:

• The soft sensor offers a promising solution for real-time bleeding detection during colonoscopies.
• This technology can significantly improve the safety and efficacy of endoscopic procedures.
• Further integration into clinical practice could enhance early diagnosis and management of GI bleeding.