Abstract
The authors already reported the basic resarch by applying the videoendoscope illuminating the stomach from outside of the body though the abdominal wall with infrared rays. That report revealed that prototype of videoendoscope brought the information of the deeper layers of the mucosa. On this report the authors have developed the videoendoscope illuminating directly inside of the stomach with infra-red rays, in order to apply it to clinical cases and study the clinical effect of the observation by infra-red rays esp. that of vessels' appearance. The objects are 134 cases, which include 3 of early gastric cancer, 8 of advanced gastric cancer, 46 of gastric ulcer (12 on active stage, 14 on healing stage and 20 on scar stage), 11 of gastric polyp, 3 of gastric submucosal tumor, 22 of atrophic on erosive gastritis, 29 of normal cases, and 12 of duodenal ulcer and others. It is possible for the infra-red videoendoscope which directly illuminates inside of the stomach with infra-red rays to observe the whole area of the stomach. This type of infra-red videoendoscope does not have any blind spots for observation compared with another type. Besides this fact, it is possible for this type to observe the objects by increasing the volume of infra-red rays even when they are apart. It is one of the endoscopic criteria for atrophic gastritis that fine vessels are observed under visible light, but they are not appeared under infra-red rays. It is possible for this prototype of infra-red videoendoscope to seize the appearance of vessels in the deeper layer by demonstrating the passway and their branches. In gastric ulcer on active stage, coat is shown light black by this prototype of videoendoscope. In acute phase of gastric ulcer, the vessels are not observed around the ulcer margin. In scar stage the vessels in deeper layers are observed to run toward the center of the scar although no vessels are seen in the center of scar at all. Judging from these results, it is expected that infra-red videoendoscope will be a help for not only judging the depth of scar but also predicting the recurrence of ulcer. In gastric polyp and submucosal tumor, neither surface structure nor vessels' appearance is observed. In gastric cancer, vessels are seen to be ceased around the cancer, but not seen on the crater. More over vessels are observed to be enlarged around the cancer crater. In IIc type of early gastric cancer the pooling of vessels is seen in the lesion. The authors are planning to accumulate clinical cases and study the appearance of submucosal vessels by infra-red rays in various diseases in order to clear the characteristics of that of infra-red rays.
