Cystoscope Aids Assessment of Bladder and Urethra

A single-use cystoscopic system aids endoscopic assessment of the lower urinary tract in instances of suspected pathology or dysfunction.

The UroViu (Bellevue, WA, USA) Uro-V cystoscope is a handheld, battery-operated, self-contained cystoscope that includes a sterile 12 French hydrophilic-coated disposable cannula and a reusable ergonomic handle. The disposable cannula contains an integrated miniature complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) camera that provide a 140º field of view and a light-emitting diode (LED) illumination module, as well as an additional working channel for infusion of irrigating fluid.

The lightweight handle contains the remaining electronics, including a power (on/off) button, a button to adjust the brightness of the LED module, a button to allow capture of single images or to start/stop video recording of the procedure, a video processor, a touch screen liquid crystal diode (LCD) display, a rechargeable battery, management electronics, microcontrollers, and firmware. The handle includes a connector and locking mechanism for attaching and detaching the disposable cannula.

“The Uro-V Cystoscope has great potential to make the standard urological care more accessible and convenient for the patients while greatly reducing the burden of the urologists and staff,” said Professor Marshall Stoller, MD, of the department of urology at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). “Uro-V substantially reduces the risk of cross-contamination while providing superior optics, unmatched portability, and tolerability, and allows for cystoscopy to be performed in any room and anytime.”

Standard flexible or rigid cystoscopes have been turned into the bottleneck of urology practices because they are bulky, require a dedicated procedure room and long setup time, and have a downtime as they need to be sterilized and reprocessed between patients; they are also expensive to own, maintain, and repair. Since high-level disinfection is not considered adequate for reprocessing, formal sterilization is expected to be required following each use in the very near future.

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