Project Description: 

Every year, millions of Americans see their gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy. Colonoscopies are the gold standard for detecting polyps that may turn into cancer, and missed polyps can grow into cancer in between colonoscopy screenings. During a colonoscopy, the physician will remove any polyps that are found in a procedure known as a polypectomy. The goal of this surgery is to remove polyps before they turn cancerous. Currently, the American Cancer Society recommends that all adults age 45 and older receive a colonoscopy once every ten years. The overall purpose of the colonoscopy is to find and remove all lesions that have the ability to become cancerous. As a result, missed polyps can pose a health threat to patients. This device provides the opportunity for better polyp detection with a goal of decreasing the number of people who get diagnosed with colorectal cancer after a recent colonoscopy. Polyps generally develop malignancy over a long period of time which means that cancerous polyps found six months to three years after colonoscopy were likely present during the initial procedure. A diagnosis of colorectal cancer in this time range is referred to as a post colonoscopy colorectal cancer diagnosis. The Steerioscope addresses two deficiencies in current colonoscopes to increase the effectiveness of polyp identification. The first problem addressed by the device is a need to decrease physician hand fatigue. Current colonoscopes have bulky dials that cause hand fatigue during the procedure. The Steerioscope features a joystick to allow the surgeon to move the colonoscope with less stress on the hand. The second problem addressed by the device is the need for a more complete view of the colon. The five cameras on the Steerioscope give the physician the ability to see multiple different views of the colon at the same time.