Technology has come a long way and has made human lives easier. The healthcare sector has seen many innovations over the years and will not stop anytime soon. One of the latest technologies created by bright minds is the joystick-controlled video capsule, which could lead to less invasive endoscopy procedures.
Joystick-Controlled Video Capsules
Endoscopies are important procedures since it examines the inside of the body which leads to doctors detecting diseases like ulcers, inflammations, blockages, and even cancer. The downside to the procedure is that it can be invasive and expensive.
The device developed by researchers from George Washington University (GWU) is an ingestible video capsule that can be controlled magnetically. This feature is what sets it apart from the previous video capsules meant for endoscopies.
With a handheld controller, doctors can maneuver the device to have the freedom to explore the interior of a person's system, as opposed to previous video capsules that can no longer be controlled once they have been ingested, as pointed out by Interesting Engineering.
It's a good alternative to traditional tube-based endoscopy as well since it has the same mobility. But, unlike the traditional procedure, patients won't have to endure post-surgery pain, go under anesthesia, or go through several appointments to complete the endoscopy.
Of course, the doctors will have to learn how to control the video capsule using the joystick first. One of the researchers expressed that the magnetically controlled capsules could be a quick and easy way to screen for potential issues in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
In a way, the controllable video capsule has the benefits of both traditional and previous versions of the device. It has already been tested by the researchers on 40 patients that have health problems concerning the stomach.
They also noted that the device can be directed to all major parts of the stomach with a "95% rate of visualization." They added that the procedure does not cause pain and that 80% of patients preferred the non-surgical method over the traditional endoscopy.
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Its Importance and Limitations
Around seven million American are affected by health issues that require them to undergo endoscopy procedures. The new method could not only prevent the pain that comes with surgery, but it will also lower the cost to get a proper diagnosis.
That means patients will not have to put their bodies through stressful procedures to simply look into what may be causing symptoms like heartburn, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, and more.
However, as Mayo Clinic pointed out, the traditional endoscopy is capable of collecting tissue samples via biopsy which can be tested for a more in-depth diagnosis. It can also be used to treat problems such as bleeding vessels by cauterizing it.
Since the tube-based procedure basically serves as the extension of a doctor's hand, it can also be used to clip off a polyp or remove foreign objects. In that aspect, the video capsule is still limited since it can only investigate the symptoms but not actually treat them.
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