Design and development of flexible video-endoscopic equipment using fiber optics consistent with use in gastrointestinal diagnosis and treatment

• Grant number: 00/13094-3
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: September 01, 2001
• End date: December 31, 2004
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Biomedical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Cicero Livio Omegna de Souza Filho
• Grantee: Cicero Livio Omegna de Souza Filho

Abstract

Upper digestive endoscopy is a procedure which permits the mucous membrane of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum to be examined in detail and represents the most accurate diagnostic method available, with a growing range of therapeutic possibilities. Any symptom that persists or causes changes in the homeostasis related to the upper digestive tube leads to the carrying out of the digestive endoscopy. In Unicamp’s Hospital das Clínicas, 12 per cent of digestive endoscopies had digestive bleeding as the main indicator for performing the examination. The most common causes are peptic ulcer and gastric and esophageal varices. The carrying out of an endoscopy is mandatory in all cases where the bleeding is significant, an endoscopic hemostasis being possible in the great majority. The endoscopic video system proposed by this project is technologically innovative in the simplicity of its structure. We will replace the rigid conventional optical systems with an appropriate fiber optic cable as a conducting element for the images to the video system. The resources available will be fewer, when compared to imported devices which offer ultra high resolution, remote control, electronic zoom, amongst others, which have grown more sophisticated in the course of the world wide spread of this type of treatment, with technological increments removed from the reality of a country like Brazil. According to those most informed on the subject, such resources add little therapeutically and make the commercial price very much higher, around US$ 39 thousand. Once developed, the equipment should popularize this type of clinical examination in Brazil, making it accessible to a larger number of doctors and clinics. (AU)