Transparent antifouling material for improved operative field visibility in endoscopy

Sunny S, Cheng G, Daniel D, Lo P, Ochoa S, Howell C, Vogel N, Majid A, Aizenberg J (2016)

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article, Original article

Publication year: 2016

Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America National Academy of Sciences

Publisher: National Academy of Sciences

Book Volume: 113

Pages Range: 11676-11681

Journal Issue: 42

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1605272113

Abstract

Camera-guided instruments, such as endoscopes, have become an essential component of contemporary medicine. The 15-20 million endoscopies performed every year in the United States alone demonstrate the tremendous impact of this technology. However, doctors heavily rely on the visual feedback provided by the endoscope camera, which is routinely compromised when body fluids and fogging occlude the lens, requiring lengthy cleaning procedures that include irrigation, tissue rubbing, suction, and even temporary removal of the endoscope for external cleaning. Bronchoscopies are especially affected because they are performed on delicate tissue, in high-humidity environments with exposure to extremely adhesive biological fluids such as mucus and blood. Here, we present a repellent, liquid-infused coating on an endoscope lens capable of preventing vision loss after repeated submersions in blood and mucus. The material properties of the coating, including conformability, mechanical adhesion, transparency, oil type, and biocompatibility, were optimized in comprehensive in vitro and ex vivo studies. Extensive bronchoscopy procedures performed in vivo on porcine lungs showed significantly reduced fouling, resulting in either unnecessary or ~10-15 times shorter and less intensive lens clearing procedures compared with an untreated endoscope. We believe that the material developed in this study opens up opportunities in the design of next-generation endoscopes that will improve visual field, display unprecedented antibacterial and antifouling properties, reduce the duration of the procedure, and enable visualization of currently unreachable parts of the body, thus offering enormous potential for disease diagnosis and treatment.

Authors with CRIS profile

Nicolas Vogel Professur für Partikelsynthese

Additional Organisation(s)

Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Funktionale Partikelsysteme (FPS) Exzellenz-Cluster Engineering of Advanced Materials

Involved external institutions

Harvard University US United States (USA) (US) Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) US United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Sunny, S., Cheng, G., Daniel, D., Lo, P., Ochoa, S., Howell, C.,... Aizenberg, J. (2016). Transparent antifouling material for improved operative field visibility in endoscopy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113(42), 11676-11681. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1605272113

MLA:

Sunny, Steffi, et al. "Transparent antifouling material for improved operative field visibility in endoscopy." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 113.42 (2016): 11676-11681.

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