Abstract
Fitting a wireless capsule endoscope (WCE) with a navigation feature can maximize its functional benefits. The rotation of a spiral-type capsule can be converted to translational motion. The study investigated how the spiral structure and rotational speed affected the capsule's translation speed. A hand-held instrument, including two permanent magnets, a stepper motor, a controller and a power supplier, were designed to generate rotational magnetic fields. The surfaces of custom-built permanent magnet rings magnetized radially were mounted in spiral lines with different lead angles and diameters, acting as mock-up capsules. The experimental results demonstrate that the rotational speed of the magnetic field and the spiral have significant effects on the translational speed of a capsule. The spiral line with a larger lead angle and the rotating magnetic field with a higher speed can change the capsule's rotation into a translational motion more efficiently in the intestine.
Highlights
wireless capsule endoscope (WCE) has become a routine inspection tool in clinical checks since it (PillCam, Given Imaging Ltd., Israel) was approved by the U.S FDA in 2001 [1,2]
To investigate how the spiral structure influences the capsule’s translational motion, the spiral lines were arranged in different diameters and lead angles
The aforementioned experimental results demonstrate that the rotational speed of the stepper motor, the diameter and lead angle of the spiral are factors affecting the translational speed of the capsule
Summary
WCE has become a routine inspection tool in clinical checks since it (PillCam, Given Imaging Ltd., Israel) was approved by the U.S FDA in 2001 [1,2]. The main limitations of the current WCE include potential retention, the possibility of missing a suspicious region and the inabili‐ ty to visualize the circumference of the intestine. These limitations are related to another disadvantage: that is, its passive and random motion manner, as it is driven by natural peristalsis of the GI tract and gravity [7,8]. A hand-held magnetic driving instrument (MDI), recommended by Lien et al [20], was developed for driving the capsule in the small and large intestines of a pig by generating rotational magnetic fields. The data can be utilized as references in developing the actual WCE in the future
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