Disposable Colonoscope Assists Colorectal Cancer Screening

An advanced, single use, self-propelled colonoscope offers omnidirectional colorectal cancer (CC) screening.

The Aer-O-Scope System consists of two primary components. The first is the scanning colonoscope component, with a novel optical system that maximizes visualization of the entire colonic mucosa, including behind haustral folds, thanks to advanced optics that enable 360° panoramic visualization, as well as a front view similar to that of conventional colonoscopy. A soft multilumen tube and pneumatic mechanism, directed by pressure measurement control software, makes use of balloons and low pressure CO2 to provide self-propelled intubation and advancement within the colon.

The second component is the Aer-O-Scope work station, which provides the elements to operate the disposable scanner. These include CO2, water, suction and air pressure, and the power supply for the camera and illumination. The work station also receives and processes transmitted data from the camera and scanner. The work station physician interface is equipped with an ergonomic joystick for intuitive control of navigation, insufflation, irrigation, and suction. The Aer-O-Scope Colonoscope System is a product of GI View (Ramat Gan, Israel), and has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“Aer-O-Scope is the only colorectal screening product that is single use, self-propelled and has 360° omnidirectional visualization,” said Tal Simchony, MD, CEO of GI-View. “This enables the physician to observe all the mucosa of the colon, including behind folds, which is critical for a complete colonic assessment. If a polyp is there, Aer-O-Scope will allow the physician the best possible chance of finding it.”

Colonoscopy involves the endoscopic examination of the entire large bowel and the distal part of the small bowel via the anus, and has become a primary routine screening test for CC in people who are over 50 years of age. Among people who have had an initial colonoscopy that found no polyps, the risk of developing CC within five years is extremely low, and there is therefore no need for those people to have another colonoscopy sooner than five years after the first screening.

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