Feasibility study of a single-use balloon-assisted robotic colonoscope in healthy volunteers

Chi-Chung Foo; Wai-Keung Leung; Thomas Ka-Luen Lui; Jo Lai-Ken Cheung; Kwok-Wai Lam; Biji Sreedhar; Chung-Kwong Yeung

doi:10.1055/a-1352-3688

Feasibility study of a single-use balloon-assisted robotic colonoscope in healthy volunteers

Endosc Int Open. 2021 Apr;9(4):E537-E542. doi: 10.1055/a-1352-3688. Epub 2021 Mar 17.

Authors

Chi-Chung Foo¹, Wai-Keung Leung², Thomas Ka-Luen Lui³, Jo Lai-Ken Cheung⁴, Kwok-Wai Lam^{4

5}, Biji Sreedhar⁴, Chung-Kwong Yeung^{1

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
² Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
³ Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
⁴ Bio-Medical Engineering (HK) Limited, Hong Kong SAR.
⁵ Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.

Abstract

Background and study aims Despite its widespread adoption, colonoscope still has its limitations. Advancement is often limited by the looping of colon. The isolation of SARS-CoV-2 in stool raises concern for the risk of disease transmission. A single-use robotic colonoscope, the NISInspire-C System, that features a balloon-suction anchorage mechanism was developed to address these. Methods The NISInspire-C balloons are designed to provide anchorage for straightening of the colon during advancement. Angulation at the bending section is tendon-wire driven by servo mechanisms integrated into a robotic control console. This was a pilot, prospective trial to evaluate the safety and feasibility of this system. Healthy volunteers underwent examination with the NISInspire-C, followed by the conventional colonoscope. The procedure time, cecal intubation rates (CIR), complications, and level of pain were measured. Results A total of 19 subjects underwent the examination. The cecal intubation rate was 89.5 % (17/19) and the overall time-to-cecum was 26.3 minutes (SD: 17.9 mins). There were no procedure-related complications. Polyps were detected in seven of 19 (36.8 %) subjects during the NISInspire-C procedure. Three more subjects were found to have adenomatous polyps with the conventional colonoscope. There was minimal variation in level of pain during the procedures with the two colonoscopes. Conclusion The single-use robotic colonoscope NISInspire-C is a safe and feasible alternative to the conventional colonoscope. Further technical refinement is needed to improve the CIR. This study was limited by its small sample size.

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