Endoscope system designed to improve colonoscopy outcomes

Problem

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. that can best be addressed with early detection by a colonoscopy. While 90% of colonoscopies have no complications, 10% of procedures, or 1.5 million procedures a year, are considered difficult and can result in increased cost and complications for patients.

Market Opportunity

Current solution to difficult colonoscopies requires the purchase and use of specialized equipment in a hospital setting resulting in increased costs and reduced revenue for doctors.

Solution

An endoscopically-delivered overtube developed at Dr. Mark Rentschler’s Advanced Medical Technologies Laboratory designed to ease insertion, manipulation, and retraction of an endoscope during colonoscopy will allow physicians to complete the difficult procedures using standard endoscopes in outpatient settings, resulting in increased success rates and reduced costs of the procedure.