Imagine having a routine endoscopy without the need for anesthesia, sedation, or general anesthesia.
That's the idea behind EvoEndo, a startup out of the University of Colorado Denver that's developed a disposable, single-use, ultra-slim, flexible endoscope that can be attached to a patient's head and sucked into a cup that's attached to a camera on the patient's wrist, reports the Denver Post.
The app tracks the patient's movements and sends the endoscope's image to a computer, where it can be viewed in a virtual-reality headset that's mounted on the patient's wrist.
Once the patient is done with the procedure, the headset is turned off and the endoscope is turned on.
The idea is to cut down on the time it takes to complete the procedure and the cost of it, as well as the risk of anesthesia-related side effects.
It's not the first time such a device has been used in the medical field, but it's the first time it's been developed by a university, notes a post at Eureka Alert.
The lead researcher on the project, Dr. Joel Friedlander, is a professor of otolaryngology at the university's medical school.
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