A Trial of Segmental Stiffening Wires to Improve the Efficiency and Patient Tolerability of Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy can be challenging to perform and painful due to looping of the colonoscope. Looping occurs when further insertion of the colonoscope results in a loop forming in the shaft of the colonoscope instead of advancement of the tip. Attempts have been made to solve this problem, but to date there is no perfect solution. Since colonoscopy is the gold standard for colon cancer screening providing a device that could prevent looping would be valuable. We have developed an experimental device that has not been approved outside of the context of this study known as the Segmental Stiffening Wire (SSW). This wire will be utilized by passing it through the biopsy channel of the endoscope. The wire has a 15-25 inch area of increased thickness and stiffness. The stiffened section can be advanced into areas of looping in an effort to prevent re-looping. We will conduct a pilot study in two phases. The first phase will include approximately 10 healthy volunteers who will undergo colonoscopy using the SSW. Fluoroscopy will be used to determine if the device prevents re-looping. If in phase 1 the device is successful in over 30% of episodes, the second phase will be undertaken. In the second phase volunteers willing to undergo two colonoscopies on consecutive days will be recruited. Volunteers who experience looping will be randomized as to whether the SSW is available. These volunteers will then undergo an otherwise identical colonoscopy on the following day except the SSW will be available if it was not on the first colonoscopy or it will not be available if it was on the first colonoscopy. Volunteers who undergo two colonoscopies will not need a second bowel preparation but will be maintained on a clear liquid diet between the two procedures. Volunteers in which looping does not occur will have their initial colonoscopy completed as normal and then will leave the study. If unable to obtain sufficient volunteers willing to undergo dual colonoscopy, then volunteers willing to undergo single colonoscopy will be included and their procedures will be done with or without the SSW in random fashion. The endpoints will be cecal intubation time; cecal intubation rate; quantity of sedation/analgesia; number of ancillary maneuvers; pain/sedation as measured by the Visual Analog Pain Scale, the Ramsey Sedation Scale, and clinical observations; vital sign changes; and the endoscopists subjective assessment of procedure difficulty and the usefulness of the SSW.