a capsule endoscope with use of a transparent hood and real-time viewer Capsule endoscopy relies on an intact swallowing mechanism and unimpeded passage of the capsule through the pylorus [1]. A new method for endoscopic placement of the capsule is described. A transparent hood (MH-464; Olympus, Tokyo, Japan), whose inside wall is lined with vinyl tape, is attached to the tip of the endoscope (...

We observed recordings of pictures obtained from patients with diseases of the larynx by using a new type of rhino-larynx electronic endoscope, PENTAXVNL-1530 connected to a video processor, PENTAX EPM-3300 (Asahi Optical Co., Ltd.). The electronic endoscope differs from the fiberoptic endoscope in that it contains a small light-sensitive charge coupled device (CCD) chip that is attached to the...

Concentric tube manipulators have the diameter of needles and are consequently amenable to delivery into the human body through small ports in an endoscope. When this is done, the surgeon must manipulate both the endoscope and one or more concentric tube robots simultaneously. In this paper we explore a hand-held approach to this user interface challenge, in which the surgeon has direct physica...

In recent years monocular SLAM has produced algorithms for robust real-time 3D scene modeling and camera motion estimation which have been validated experimentally using low cost hand-held cameras and standard laptops. Our contribution is to extend monocular SLAM methods to deal with images coming from a hand-held standard monocular endoscope. With the endoscope image sequence as the only input...

Background: The arising challenges over endoscope reprocessing quality proposes to look for possibilities to measure and control the process of endoscope reprocessing. Aim: The goal of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of monitoring endoscope reprocessing with an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) based bioluminescence system. Methods: 60 samples of eight gastroscopes have been assessed from...

Several issues concerning endoscope reprocessing remain unresolved based on currently available data. Thus, further studies are required to confirm standard practices including safe endoscope shelf life, proper frequency of replacement of some accessories including water bottles and connecting tubes, and microbiological surveillance testing of endoscopes after reprocessing. The efficacy and cos...

Background: We investigated the methods of calibrating an endoscope to an optical tracking system (OTS) for high accuracy augmented reality (AR)-based surgical navigation. We compared the possible calibration methods, and suggested the best method in terms of accuracy and speed in a medical environment. Material and methods: A calibration board with an attached OTS marker was used to acquire th...

OBJECTIVES Advancements in medical endoscopy and techniques of rigid bronchoscopy for foreign body removal have enabled higher diagnostic accuracy, reduced morbidity and precise manipulation. However, in pediatric patients, endoscope-combined forceps may be too big to fit into the small sized airway. Here we present our method of endoscope assisted rigid bronchoscopy in pediatric patients and c...