Lim Chwee Ming, Rao Gangodu Nagaraja, Ren Hongliang
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, National University Health System, Singapore.
Department of Otolaryngology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore.
World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2020 Apr 18;6(1):4-9. doi: 10.1016/j.wjorl.2020.02.004. eCollection 2020 Mar.
To test the feasibility of a real time miniature endoscope system for imaging the nasopharynx.
Preclinical assessment on skull model and cadaver.
A 3.5 mm miniature endoscope was fabricated and the image capture of the nasopharynx was investigated by positioning the miniature camera system at the posterior free edge of the vomer bone. Wireless real time transmission of the images and quality was tested in a skull model. Next, three nasopharyngeal surveillance miniature camera system were developed for possible clinical translation. Two prototypes were anchored on the nasal septum and the last prototype was designed using a patient self-administered surveillance process. These prototypes were tested for feasibility on both the phantom skull and cadaveric model. Risk assessments were also performed to assess risk, safety and validate the reliability of the material utilized for clinical translation.
Insertion and anchorage of the miniature surveillance endoscope prototypes at the vomer bone were feasible on all 3 prototypes. The quality of captured images was reasonable and miniaturized camera was responsive to pan at different angles so that the entire nasopharynx may be surveyed. Risk assessments on the material such as pull out test, breaking force analysis, finite element test and tensile strength test were reliable for possible clinical translation.
Real time miniature endoscope system for surveillance of nasopharyngeal cancer is feasible. Clinical translation of this technology was possible but requires further refinement in enhancing image quality and wireless transmission of the captured images.
测试一种用于鼻咽成像的实时微型内窥镜系统的可行性。
在颅骨模型和尸体上进行临床前评估。
制造了一个3.5毫米的微型内窥镜，并通过将微型摄像系统置于犁骨后游离缘来研究鼻咽的图像采集。在颅骨模型中测试了图像的无线实时传输及质量。接下来，开发了三个用于鼻咽监测的微型摄像系统以供临床应用。两个原型固定在鼻中隔上，最后一个原型采用患者自行监测的流程设计。这些原型在模拟颅骨和尸体模型上进行了可行性测试。还进行了风险评估，以评估风险、安全性并验证用于临床应用的材料的可靠性。
微型监测内窥镜原型在犁骨处的插入和固定在所有三个原型上都是可行的。采集图像的质量合理，小型化摄像头能在不同角度进行平移响应，从而可以对整个鼻咽进行检查。对材料进行的拔出试验、断裂力分析、有限元试验和拉伸强度试验等风险评估对于可能的临床应用是可靠的。
用于鼻咽癌监测的实时微型内窥镜系统是可行的。这项技术的临床应用是可能的，但需要进一步改进以提高图像质量和采集图像的无线传输能力。
