What is the difference between rigid and flexible endoscope?

Compared with traditional surgery, minimally invasive surgery has the advantages of small trauma, fast recovery, and reduced patient pain. The endoscopic and minimally invasive medical device, as the doctor’s ”eye“, can effectively help the doctor “see” the lesion clearly. With the popularization of minimally invasive surgical technology on a global scale, endoscopy has also entered a period of rapid development.

The history of endoscopy

Medical endoscopy, that is, endoscopy, has a history of more than 200 years, and its development has gone through four stages: rigid endoscopy, semi-flexible endoscopy, fiber endoscopy, and electronic endoscopy. In 1806, BOZZini in Frankfurt, Germany, manufactured an internal bladder and rectal instrument with a candle as a light source. This was the original prototype of a rigid endoscope. In 1932, Schindler cooperated with Wolf to successfully develop a semi-flexible endoscope in the true sense, which opened up a new era of gastroscopy. In order to better solve the shortcomings of poor lighting effect and distorted image color of the endoscope, Hirschowitz and his R&D team developed the world’s first optical fiber endoscope for examining the stomach and duodenum in 1957.

In 1983, the American Welch Allyn company successfully developed a CCD miniature image sensor to replace the optical fiber guided imaging technique of the endoscope, and the first electronic endoscope was born. After four stages of development, endoscopic technology has been continuously updated, which has also made it possible for the popularization of minimally invasive surgery, and the prosperity of minimally invasive surgery has also enriched the types of endoscopy. With the prosperity and development of minimally invasive surgery, new endoscopic products are still constantly innovating.

Classification of endoscopes

Endoscopes are widely used in different departments and the treatment of different diseases in clinical practice. It is mainly divided into flexible endoscopes and rigid endoscopes. Flexible endoscope are mainly gastroscopes, colonoscopes, laryngoscopes, fiber bronchoscopes, etc;Rigid endoscopes include laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, ureteroscopy, cystoscopy, arthroscopy, hysteroscopy, etc.

Difference between rigid and flexible endoscope

Rigid endoscope can be divided into categories such as laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, and hysteroscopy. Various types of hard mirrors are used in combination with supporting equipment to complete the diagnosis and treatment of various types of diseases. The main supporting equipment of hard mirror is the camera system host, camera, cold light source, monitor, trolley, etc. Rigid endoscope mainly enters the sterile tissues and organs of the human body or enters the sterile chambers of the human body through surgical incisions, such as laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, arthroscopy, discoscopy, ventriculoscopy, etc. Rigid endoscope is a prism optical system. The biggest advantage is that the imaging is clear, and it can be equipped with multiple working channels to select multiple viewing angles.

Flexible endoscope mainly completes examination, diagnosis and treatment through the human body’s natural lumen. For example, gastroscopy, colonoscopy, laryngoscopy, bronchoscopy, etc. mainly enter the human body through the human digestive tract, respiratory tract and urinary tract. The optical system of Flexible endoscope is an optical fiber optical system. The biggest feature of this optical fiber endoscope is that the lens part can be manipulated by the surgeon to change direction and expand the scope of application, but the imaging effect is not as good as that of hard lenses. Flexible endoscope has been used in gastroenterology, respiratory medicine, ENT, urology, anorectal, thoracic surgery, gynecology and other departments. From simple disease screening to complex treatment of cardia achalasia, it brings patients timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment, low risk, low surgical trauma and fast postoperative recovery. Benefits.