Background: The Direct Drive Endoscopic System (DDES) is a multitasking platform developed to overcome the limitations of the currently available rigid and flexible endoscopic systems in application to natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES), single-port laparoscopy, and advanced endoluminal procedures. The system consists of a 3-channel, steerable guide sheath accepting a 6-mm endoscope and two 4-mm articulating instruments. The system's overall design enables the interventionalist to operate instruments bimanually from a stable platform, conveying a laparoscopic paradigm to the functional working space at the distal end of the flexible guide sheath.
Objective: To assess the basic functionality of the DDES device in a series of defined exercises by using ex vivo porcine stomachs and 1 in vivo animal model.
Design: Ex vivo calibration and training exercises, including EMR, full-thickness suturing, and knot tying.
Setting: Animal laboratory.
Interventions: EMR, full-thickness suturing, and knot tying.
Main outcome measurements: Successful completion of specified tasks.
Results: Independent instrument movement with a wide range of motion allowed the interventionalist to perform several complex tasks efficiently. The DDES was able to (1) grasp tissue and hold it under tension, (2) cut through layers of porcine stomach in a controlled fashion, (3) suture, and (4) tie knots.
Limitation: Ex vivo study.
Conclusions: This novel multitasking platform demonstrated surgical functionality including triangulation, cutting, grasping, suturing, and knot tying. Preliminary results suggest that the DDES can perform complex endosurgical tasks that have traditionally been challenging or impossible with the standard endoscopic paradigm, and may enable NOTES, single-port laparoscopy, and complex endoluminal procedures.