Integration of Wireless Micro-cams into Endoscopes: A Major Advancement in Endoscopy

Endoscopy is the placement of a long, flexible tube into the human body through the mouth or nose to view an internal organ or tissues in fine detail. It can also be performed on areas of the digestive system like the stomach or esophagus. Endoscopes have minimal invasive capabilities and can easily be inserted into openings of the digestive system like the esophagus or the mouth.

Endoscope has many uses such as simple visual inspection of the gastrointestinal tract, detection of cancer, and performing major surgical operations. In a simple case, these devices can be placed into one's mouth to visually inspect and detect abnormalities inside the oral cavity. This can be done in the areas of the esophagus and the throat for detecting cancerous growths or in the stomach for identifying suspected gastric ulcers. A more extensive and intricate visual examination can be carried out by inserting the endoscope into the small intestine. There are three common types of endoscopy. First is through the nose where the endoscope is inserted through an incision made within the nostrils. Second type is via the throat or stomach through an incision made around the navel. The third type is through the mouth, which is typically done via small puncture wounds.

The demand for endoscopes is expected to grow with increasing prevalence of gastrointestinal disorders. According to the study, ‘Worldwide incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease in the 21st century: a systematic review of population-based studies’, published in the journal Lancet in 2018, the prevalence of Crohn's disease in Germany was 22 per 100,000 and 319 per 100,000 in Canada. Manufacturers are focused on launching operating room-ready wireless endoscopes. In May 2020, ScoutCam, a United States-based micro imaging technology solutions provider, announced a breakthrough with the successful integration of the company’s wireless micro ScoutCam into medical endoscope devices. Furthermore, development of compact medical camera modules is expected to offers combination of resolution, size and viewing angle for disposable endoscopes. In November 2019, OmniVision Technologies, Inc. announced the OC0SA, a CameraCubeChip wafer-level camera module for medical applications.

R&D of new endoscopy technologies is expected to improve the clarity of the resulting images provided by the system. In June 2020, Xenocor, Inc. received the United States patent in connection with the Xenoscope Single-use Laparoscopic System, which provides valuable protection for materials used in the disposable scope that reduce fogging and improve the clarity of the resulting images provided by the system.