The Problem
During urgent upper endoscopy for gastrointestinal hemorrhage, large portions of the cavity can be filled with blood clots and debris, which may obscure up to 70% of the visual field.
There are no current viable solutions for the clearance of blood clots or debris from the gastric cavity in this situation. Customary strategies for dealing with this issue are borrowed from other facets of endoscopy, and are markedly inefficient. This problem generally leads to one of two scenarios: either a prolonged procedure to clear the gastric cavity, or “second look” endoscopy, a repeated procedure between one and three days later which prolongs hospitalization and strains resources. Each repeat endoscopy costs the medical system up to $15k per procedure. We need a better method for breaking up blood clots and enabling visualization in the upper gastrointestinal tract during gastroscopy in order to reduce recurrent procedures.
Our Solution
ERGOGI's novel solution is designed to enable gastroenterologists to clear the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract of debris and blood clots.
This will allow prompt visualization of the GI tract and elucidate the source of bleeding. Once gastroenterologists see the problem, they can treat the problem.
How do we do this?
Our solution consists of two tools that are optimally used in conjunction with one another.
Multifunction Channel (MFC) A cap-based accessory channel adheres to the standard single-channel gastroscope, which converts any single channel gastroscope to a therapeutic gastroscope.
The inner diameter of the accessory channel is 4-mm and is used to suction and aid in evacuation of the debris. The diameter of the suction channel increases luminal suction by 3x.
Nova System The second device is a catheter-based trimmer, which under safe mechanical force breaks up any clot or debris that may be drawn into the trimmer through the use of the accessory channel suction.
The trimmer is advanced in the sheath and can only be opened when safely out the gastroscope but within the external cap. Used together, the MFC and Nova System can clear the gastric cavity for proper visualization. A task that traditionally takes up to an hour, now takes a few minutes.
The Nova System and the MFC are disposable, however the trimmer motor unit is reusable and rechargeable, which will limit cost, infection and waste. With the Nova System and MFC, we can promptly clear the upper or lower GI tract and help with safe clear visualization of the source of bleeding, which enables treatment in the index procedure.
