INSERTION TECHNIQUE USING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SEGMENT OF A COLONOSCOPE DESIGNED FOR ACTUAL INSERTION

Abstract

In order to acquire good insertion technique during a colonoscopy, it is important to know and use the characteristics of that section of the coloscope designed for insertion, namely the shaft and the distal flexible section. Characteristics of this part of a colonoscope consist of stiffness and elasticity of the shaft, torque transference of the shaft, length of the distal flexible section and so on. In this paper I first comment on the characteristics of this important segment of the colonoscope and then on the insertion technique using the characteristics of the segment. The difference in the characteristics among the various diameters of this segment and the way how to make the best use of these differences are also explained. I also show the important points in using a colonoscope with variable stiffness function and introduce a newly developed colonoscope having passive bending and a high force transmission insertion tube ; the OLYMPUS EVIS LUCERA PCF-PQ260 (Olympus Medical Systems Corp.).