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Robotic Anal Probe Navigates Your Colon, Looks For Polyps

by Will Safer on March 28, 2008 at 01:04 PM

We've reported before on robots that play music for you. We've written up reports on robots that memorize your voice commands and can change the channel or lower the volume automatically on your home theater system. And now, we've found a robot that researchers say will navigate its way through your colon, looking for polyps -- a replacement of the dreaded colonoscopy, an uncomfortable procedure that nonetheless can save lives by detecting cancer early.

Yes, we've written about the robot invasion, but never before about one so... invasive.

This new device, which is only in the prototype phase, is being tested now on "snippets of pig colon" to gauge its ability to move itself and navigate through the digestive tract by using small sticky pads called mucoadhesives.

By replacing the need for uncomfortable and painful procedures with endoscopes, Dutch researchers hope more people will decide to have screenings. Early detection of colon cancer is the number way to beat the disease. Colon cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer in the United States and is the second most cause of cancer deaths, according to reports.

The self-propelled robot would not only accomplish its task with less discomfort for the patient, but would also be less likely to damage the colon. While a colonoscopy with an endoscope is relatively safe, about 1 in 500 procedures do result in some damage to the colon.

The mucoadhesives work by allowing the robotic device to grip and release the colon walls without causing damage. And since the colon is constantly producing more mucus, the pads would be essentially washed away within a few hours of the procedure's conclusion.

From MSNBC.


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Tags: breaking+news, colon, colonoscopy, dutch, health, medicine, prototype, robot, science, small, top

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