Antifouling Coating Could Help Clinicians See Clearly During Endoscope Procedures
BOSTON – With the help of camera-guided endoscopes, clinicians get a look inside the body’s cavities to diagnose and treat many different conditions. In the United States alone, up to 20 million endoscopies are performed on patients every year. But even for the most seasoned endoscope users, the instruments can prove very challenging to use effectively; this is due to the fact that blood and other bodily fluids quite commonly obscure the camera lens in the midst of critical procedures.
This problem inspired a team led by Wyss Core Faculty member Joanna Aizenberg to engineer a transparent surface coating for an endoscope lens that could effortlessly keep blood and other fluids at bay. The idea took roots in conversations Aizenberg had with clinician collaborators, who were quick to lament the propensity for endoscopes to become clouded mid-procedure.