Innovative Technology allows Doctors to Control Video Capsule Endoscopes Remotely
Control of video capsule endoscopes, long used but restricted by the inability to be controlled by physicians until now, is possible with new technology that uses an external magnet and handheld joysticks for control. Pioneering research at George Washington University uses magnetically controlled capsules – the same size as a typical vitamin pill – driven to all parts of the stomach allowing professionals to identify issues. The technology allows doctors to remotely drive the miniature capsule using an external magnet and a video game-style handheld joystick, pushing the miniature capsule in three dimensions around the stomach.
The new technology offers a quick and painless way for patients with severe stomach pain to diagnose gastrointestinal (GI) issues, making it an ideal solution for many patients who face barriers to obtaining traditional endoscopy on an outpatient basis. As well as providing treatment without the need for repeat appointments, the patient can rest easy that no high-risk lesions will be missed during the procedure.
This article explores the development and use of magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy in the United States. It considers how the technology provides relief to patients who would otherwise have difficulty accessing traditional endoscopies, explaining how and why it has been developed, conducted, and tried, along with its perceived limitations and future prospects.
Magnetically Controlled Capsule Endoscopy: Origins
Traditional endoscopy is an invasive and expensive procedure, usually requiring anesthesia and free time. With more than seven million endoscopies of the stomach and upper intestine performed each year in the US alone, many patients struggle to access the procedure. For example, they may face unacceptable barriers to undergoing an ambulatory endoscopy, a crucial diagnostic tool to detect life-threatening bleeding or other high-risk lesions. Andrew Meltzer, GW College of Medicine and Health Sciences professor of Emergency Medicine, developed magnetically controlled capsules as an alternative method to help visualize the upper GI tract for patients with internal bleeding and other common issues.
Magnetically Controlled Capsule Endoscopy in Action
In a study of 40 patients in a medical office building, Meltzer and his team used magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy to evaluate the gastric mucosa in symptomatic patients, in what is believed to be the first study of its type in America. The capsules allowed doctors to aim at all parts of the stomach with a 95% visualization rate, while videos could be easily streamed for off-site review if there was no gastroenterologist on-site to read them. During the study, patients who participated in both magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy and a follow-up endoscopy found no high-risk lesions missed using the new method. Additionally, 80% of those involved preferred the new technique to traditional endoscopy.
Perceived Limitations and the Future of Capsule Endoscopy
Although the new capsule endoscopy technology proves to be a practical screening tool, the procedure’s inability to biopsy detected lesions is a major limitation. Using the joystick to control the capsule also requires additional training, and if a gastroenterologist is not available to study the images on-site, it may cause problems. However, potential issues, such as how to improve the system, ensure it does not miss important lesions, and develop software that will drive the capsule to all areas of the stomach are being addressed in future research and development. Additionally, if larger studies show that this method is sensitive enough to detect high-risk lesions, it has the potential to be used as a quick and easy way to detect health problems in the upper GI tract easily.
Rewriting the Summary
Capsule endoscopy using magnetically controlled capsules provides a quicker, painless, and non-invasive diagnosis solution for patients with severe stomach pain than traditional endoscopy methods. Utilizing an external magnet and a video game-style handheld joystick lets physicians remotely guide the pill with ease, focusing on identified issues, such as internal bleeding or inflammation, at lower costs. Andrew Meltzer, professor of Emergency Medicine at GW College of Medicine and Health Sciences, believed this technology would provide an alternative visualization method for patients with internal bleeding or other common GI tract issues without the barriers associated with traditional endoscopy. While the study proves to be promising, no high-risk lesions were missed using the new method, but further studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy in comparison to traditional endoscopy. Meanwhile, software developments to drive the capsule to all areas of the stomach with a single click and record all high-risk abnormalities are in progress, suggesting capsule endoscopy will continue to develop in the years to come.
Additional Piece: Changing the face of GI tract diagnosis
Endoscopic procedures of the stomach and upper intestine have always been a vital diagnostic tool, but many patients face barriers to an increasingly invasive and exhausting procedure. However, physicians now have support from the latest magnetically controlled capsule developments, where a pill-size video capsule remotely guided through the GI tract identifies potential issues. Most capsules move without medical assistance, requiring the use of gravity or the natural movements of the body to propel them through the stomach. But the magnetically controlled capsule technology plays a critical role in providing accurate visualization of a patient’s internal issues as physicians can move it through the digestive system’s various parts, looking out for inflammation or internal bleeding.
The technology is a game-changer, particularly for patients who may have trouble accessing traditional endoscopy on an outpatient basis, prove allergic to anesthetic, or have widespread medical issues affecting their overall health or metabolism. Patients with severe stomach pains can visit the emergency room and swallow a magnetic capsule, which immediately lets the doctor see internal issues and saves patients from enduring the physically demanding and disruptive traditional endoscopy procedure, with no second appointment.
The new technology marks a significant step forward. Capsule diagnostics no longer require significant infrastructure investments and provide rapid diagnosis in comparison to traditional endoscopy methods. This new method also reduces costs for the patients and the healthcare system, both in time and money, as hospitalized admissions for endoscopic procedures are reduced. Moreover, the new solution seems to be a safer and less invasive alternative to traditional endoscopy. While some limitations, such as its inability to biopsy detected lesions, exist, future research aims to develop software that will record all high-risk abnormalities and drive the capsule across all areas of the stomach to detect health problems in the upper GI tract quickly.
In conclusion, medicine and technology combine to move healthcare forward. When gastrointestinal health issues arise, medical professionals can offer their patients the latest capsule endoscopy technology, providing the patient with a more pleasant, safer solution to their needs. With healthcare continually evolving, it is imperative that new and innovative diagnostic techniques, such as magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy, are appreciated and promoted to medical professionals and the public. The future of increased mobile medical options and quicker health services looks promising.
Summary:
Magnetized capsule endoscopy is a new technology that offers a fast and painless way for patients to diagnose gastrointestinal (GI) issues. This unique technology uses handheld joysticks and an external magnet to remotely guide the capsule that can visualize and photograph the problematic areas. The technology has the potential to replace traditional endoscopic procedures that are invasive and expensive. With more than seven million endoscopies of the stomach and upper intestine performed each year in the US alone, a large number of patients struggle to access the procedure. For example, they may face unacceptable barriers to undergoing an ambulatory endoscopy, an important diagnostic tool to detect life-threatening bleeding or high-risk lesions. Further studies are required to determine whether magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy is as efficient as traditional endoscopy, but the pill-sized capsules are a safer and less invasive choice that reduces costs. The technology allows the doctor to see internal issues that provide relief to patients that would otherwise find it difficult to access traditional endoscopies. The method still has limitations, such as an inability to biopsy detected lesions, but future research is attempting to develop software that will drive the capsule to all parts of the stomach to detect health issues in the upper GI tract.
Additional Piece:
Capsule endoscopy is revolutionizing medical care, providing a safer and less invasive solution compared to traditional endoscopy, which takes longer to perform. Magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy, in particular, is an effective diagnostic technique that offers quick and precise identification of health issues, making it essential for patients who face barriers to traditional endoscopy procedures. Medical professionals and the public should welcome the technology to move healthcare forward. Capsule endoscopy technology means fewer hospital admissions, reducing the cost to patients and to the healthcare system. Moreover, the technology identifies potential health issues while still at an early stage, meaning patients can access treatment quicker. The future of quicker and more efficient healthcare options through mobile medical options and innovative diagnostic techniques looks extremely promising.
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While indigestible video capsule endoscopes have been around for many years, the capsules have been limited by the fact that they could not be controlled by physicians. They moved passively, propelled solely by gravity and the natural movement of the body. Now, according to a pioneering research study at George Washington University, doctors can remotely drive a miniature video capsule to all regions of the stomach to visualize and photograph potential problem areas. The new technology uses an external magnet and video game-style handheld joysticks to move the capsule in three dimensions in the stomach. This new technology is closer to the capabilities of a traditional tube-based endoscopy.
“A traditional endoscopy is an invasive procedure for patients, not to mention expensive due to the need for anesthesia and free time,” said Andrew Meltzer, Professor of Emergency Medicine in the GW College of Medicine and Health Sciences. “If larger studies can show that this method is sensitive enough to detect high-risk lesions, the magnetically controlled capsules could be used as a quick and easy way to detect health problems in the upper GI tract, such as ulcers or stomach cancer. “.
More than 7 million traditional endoscopies of the stomach and upper intestine are performed each year in the United States to help doctors investigate and treat stomach pain, nausea, bleeding, and other symptoms of illness, including heartburn. cancer. Despite the benefits of traditional endoscopies, studies suggest that some patients have trouble accessing the procedure.
In fact, Meltzer became interested in magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy after seeing patients in the emergency room with stomach pain or suspected upper GI bleeding who faced barriers to obtaining traditional endoscopy on an outpatient basis.
“I had patients come to the ER concerned with a bleeding ulcer, and even if they were clinically stable, I had no way to evaluate them without admitting them to the hospital for an endoscopy. We couldn’t do an endoscopy in the ER and many patients faced unacceptable barriers to have an outpatient endoscopy, a crucial diagnostic tool to prevent life-threatening bleeding,” Meltzer said. “To help address this issue, I began looking at less invasive ways to visualize the upper GI tract for patients with suspected internal bleeding.”
The study is the first to test magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy in the United States. For patients who come to the ER or doctor’s office with severe stomach pain, the ability to swallow a capsule and get a diagnosis on the spot, without a second appointment for a traditional endoscopy, is a real plus, not mention the potential lifesaver, says Meltzer. An external magnet allows painless driving of the capsule to visualize all anatomical areas of the stomach and to video and photograph any potential bleeding, inflammation, or malignant lesions.
While using the joystick requires additional time and training, software is being developed that will use artificial intelligence to drive the capsule itself to all parts of the stomach at the push of a button and record any potentially risky abnormalities. That would make it easier to use the system as a diagnostic tool or screening test. Also, the videos can easily be streamed for off-site review if there is no gastroenterologist on-site to read the images.
Meltzer and his colleagues conducted a study of 40 patients in a medical office building using magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy. They found that the doctor could aim the capsule at all the major parts of the stomach with a 95 percent visualization rate. The capsules were driven by the ER physician and then the study reports were reviewed by an attending gastroenterologist who was physically off-site.
To see how the new method compares to a traditional endoscopy, study participants also received a follow-up endoscopy. No high-risk lesions were missed with the new method, and 80 percent of patients preferred the capsule method to traditional endoscopy. The team found no security issues associated with the new method.
However, Meltzer cautions that the study is pilot and a much larger trial with more patients needs to be done to make sure the method doesn’t miss important lesions and can be used instead of endoscopy. A major limitation of the capsule includes the inability to biopsy the lesions that are detected.
The study, “Magnetically Controlled Capsule for Evaluation of the Gastric Mucosa in Symptomatic Patients (MAGNET): A Prospective, Single-Arm, Single-Center Comparative Study,” was published in iGIE, the open-access online journal of the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Medical technology company AnX Robotica funded the research and is the creator of the capsule endoscopy system used in the study, called NaviCam®.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230601160055.htm
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