MDNews - Greater Boston

Advances in GI tech product spotlight By Joe dodd Welcome to the future of gastrointestinal procedures, Where technological advancements mean easier diagnosis for physicians and increased comfort and convenience for patients. Pillcam PillCam provides healthcare professionals with technology to see inside a patient's g a st rointest ina l iMaGe Courtesy of Given iMaGinG (GI) tract — by simply having him or her swallow a pill. Developed by Given Imaging, the small, disposable capsule is used to monitor and diagnose issues in the GI tract without the need for invasive endoscopic procedures or sedation. PillCam is the size of a vitamin and can easily be swallowed to travel through the GI tract. During the procedure, the patient wears a small data recorder and sensor array. After the capsule is administered, patients are free to leave the clinic or office. The procedure takes six to 12 hours to complete, at the end of which the patient returns the sensors and data recorder. The images stored on the data recorder are downloaded and reviewed on a computer. More than 1.5 million patients have already benefitted from the use of PillCam as an alternative to traditional endoscopy. Version 3 of PillCam SB was recently given U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Fuse New from EndoChoice comes Fuse (Full Spectrum Endoscopy), an endoscope system providing a 330-degree field of view for procedures. Fuse marks a change in the capability of endoscopic technology to assist healthcare professionals in the diagnosis of lower GI diseases. A 2013 study found that when using traditional endoscopes, the miss rate for adenomas was 42 percent. Fuse's miss rate is only 8 percent. Nearly twice as much anatomy can now be seen and examined. Illuminated by LED lights, multiple cameras provide a panoramic view of the GI tract. Each image can be saved and printed at the end of a procedure with the touch of a button. EndoChoice, based in Alpharetta, Ga., recently received FDA approval for the Fuse system. i Ge Ma u Co e rt sy of en C do ho iC e mdnewS.com ■ MD News Greater Boston |9

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