Development of a Distal Tip Extension Mechanism for Endoscopes¹

Colon diseases cause various health problems, such as rectal bleeding, inflammatory bowel diseases, vomiting, and diarrhea [1]. Colon cancer is one of the most dangerous colorectal cancers. It is considered the second most deadly cancer in the United States [2]. One of the methods to treat colon cancer and reduce mortality rate caused by colon cancer is early diagnosis [1,3]. Furthermore, people aged 50 and above are recommended to undergo colonoscopies periodically every 10 years [4]. Colonoscopy is a standard procedure and the most common method to diagnose and treat colorectal diseases [1,3,5]. Therefore, any incomplete colonoscopy could cause an inaccurate diagnosis, which can put the patient at high risk [3]. Cecal intubation rate, the process of reaching the cecum, is an important factor to evaluate the completeness of a colonoscopy. Therefore,...