(K-415) Enhancing Efficiency and Safety in Esophageal Food Impaction Removal: A Novel Approach with Disposable Tips

Esophageal food impaction is a medical condition that presents a significant challenge for both individuals experiencing it and healthcare providers. To address the need for more effective management strategies, a device is needed to enhance the endoscopic removal of lodged food debris in the esophagus. This device serves as an accessory for standard endoscopes, equipped with a suction channel and a vacuum system that enables the generation of controlled negative pressure at the endoscope's tip. The attachment takes the form of a disposable tube-like instrument, seamlessly connecting to a collection canister integrated with a filter, ensuring the prevention of contamination, and safeguarding the vacuum pump from potential damage. The device is not yet clinically tested but is undergoing laboratory testing using artificial esophageal models to verify its ability to deliver the required suction force for effective food particle removal. In addition, compatibility with various endoscope models commonly used in medical practice is evaluated to ensure seamless integration with existing equipment. Another crucial aspect of it being disposable is assessing the ease of replacement between patients while ensuring that the device meets the desired requirements for efficiency and patient safety. Overall, the suction endoscopy attachment we have developed presents a specialized and effective solution for managing esophageal food impactions, offering patients a safe and efficient method to remove lodged food particles and alleviate discomfort, while providing healthcare providers with a valuable tool to address this challenging condition in a timely manner with precision and care.

The development of this suction attachment device for the endoscope entails several crucial steps to ensure its effectiveness and compatibility. To enable efficient food debris removal, a regulated vacuum pump is integrated into the device, supplying the necessary negative pressure. Additionally, a pressure release valve is implemented, affording users control over the suction intensity within a continuous moderate pressure range of up to 125mm Hg. The pressure deemed sufficient for effective suctioning during the procedure can be tuned to optimize patient outcomes. To guarantee continuous integration with standard endoscope models, the attachment device is precisely designed to be compatible with diameters ranging from 8.0 to 9.8mm, ensuring widespread applicability across medical settings. The tubing is further refined to have a preferred channel diameter of 2.4 to 3mm, facilitating effortless affixation to the endoscope without compromising functionality. Ensuring a secure adherence to the endoscope, the attachment device permits simultaneous movement during the procedure, providing medical professionals with ease of maneuverability and precise control during food debris removal. The selection of the most appropriate material for the disposable tips is a critical aspect of the device's development, thus different elastomers, such as silicone, are evaluated to determine the optimal choice for the disposable tips based on flexibility as well as safe and efficient removal of food debris while being practical for single-use purposes between patients.

The development and testing of the disposable suction endoscope attachment will be expected to integrate with a regulated vacuum pump. Success is determined by providing the necessary negative pressure for effective food debris removal in our mock esophageal system. The pressure release valve implementation will still continue to be tested in order to maintain a continuous moderate pressure range of up to a maximum of 125mm Hg. The attachment device is expected to be compatible with standard endoscope models. Testing with the mock esophagus systems will further confirmed that the disposable tips do not cause discomfort or scraping during the procedure. We expect this attachment can revolutionize how esophageal food impactions are managed, through enhancing patient care and speed of removal, to provide a valuable tool for healthcare providers. The development of an efficient, safe, and user-friendly suction endoscope attachment has the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes, reduce treatment time, and enhance overall procedural success rates. As a result, this work can have far-reaching implications, benefiting patients globally and contributing to the advancement of endoscopic practices in the medical field.

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R25EB032766. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.