A Portable Endoscopic Tool Handler (PETH) with its Ex-vivo ESD trials

Flexible endoscope has widely been used to investigate interior of hollow organ or abdominal cavity. As technology of medical device advances, the area of endoscopy becomes much wider. Currently it is not limited to diagnosis or biopsy, but is expanded to complicate technique or even surgery, for example, NOTES (Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopie Surgery). In that NOTES makes no external incision through natural orifice, it has many advantages such as cosmetic effect, decreased pain/blood loss, and shorter hospitalization. However, because conventional flexible instrument lacks of dexterity, longer procedure time and manipulation failure often occur. This paper presents a Portable Endoscopic Tool Handler (PETH) to overcome the dexterity issue. During conventional instrument is inserted through PETH, it is actively guided to left/right, upward/downward so that multi-directional traction becomes possible. Compared to other robotic endoscopie platforms, it has a main difference that conventional endoscope and instruments can be utilized. After preliminary test was performed, utility of PETH has been verified by ESD trials with promising results.