Borescope

Flexible endoscopes were invented by Basil Hirschowitz, who was the first to introduce a superior glass fiber technology resulting in the first useful medical endoscope. Flexible endoscopes enable surgeons to carry out diagnostic procedures that can detect disease in its earliest stages.

Abnormal nodules, polyps, chronic laryngitis, and throat cancer can be diagnosed with a flexible endoscope. But the main disadvantage is that they produce images of lower quality compared to rigid scopes of a similar diameter.

The main advantage of the flexible endoscope is that it allows bending, although minimum, still allows the surgeon to get a more panoramic view of the cavity than a rigid endoscope provides.

Flexible endoscopes are divided into two types: fiberoptic and videoscopes. The difference is in the way the image is viewed. The fiberoptic type is viewed either directly or with the use of a camera mounted on the endoscope. A videoscope is equipped with a video chip, positioned at the distal end of the endoscope, which transmits the image directly to a monitor.

To get a better understanding of the flexible endoscope, let’s examine its structure. There are four basic parts which make up the flexible endoscope: control body, insertion tube, bending section and light-guide connector unit. The control body remains on the outside and manages the bending section. The insertion tube carries the image to the eyepiece. It can also contain channels for suction, biopsy, irrigation, insufflation. The bending section can be moved by the surgeon to steer the lenses in various directions within the internal structure.

Flexible endoscopes find more and more applications, but mostly in surgeries requiring visualization of throat and respiratory structures, such as nasopharyngoscopy, bronchoscopy, laryngoscopy, and esophogoscopy, There situations when it is used as an aid during difficult intubation prior to general surgery. Flexible endoscopes are used widely to view the following structures and organs: esophagus, stomach and upper small intestine, large intestine.

Recently, flexible endoscopes have been used for dynamic voice evaluation. The normal anatomy of the throat including the epiglottis, vocal cords, and their mobility can be viewed through the endoscope. The findings explain problems with hoarseness and phonation. Their advantage is that they produce a magnified, recordable image of the larynx that is superior for the diagnosis of mass lesions and mucosal wave abnormalities, especially when performing stroboscopy. However, its use requires one to grasp the tongue and leads to a variable degree of gagging, thereby preventing visualization of the larynx in its normal position. These factors make flexible endoscopes only suitable for diagnosis of functional and movement disorders of the larynx.

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