The Development Of Endoscopy

With the advancement of modern science and technology, endoscopes underwent a complete transformation, incorporating optical fibers. In 1963, Japan began producing fiber optic endoscopes, and in 1964, a biopsy device for fiber optic endoscopy was successfully developed. This special biopsy forceps allows for suitable pathological samples with minimal risk. In 1965, the fiber optic colonoscope was developed, expanding the scope of examination for lower gastrointestinal diseases. Research began in 1967 to use magnifying fiber optic endoscopes to observe minute lesions. Fiber optic endoscopes can also be used for in vivo laboratory tests, such as measuring body temperature, pressure, displacement, spectral absorption, and other data.

 

In 1973, laser technology was applied to endoscopic treatment and gradually became one of the methods for treating gastrointestinal bleeding endoscopically. In 1981, endoscopic ultrasound technology was successfully developed. This new development, combining advanced ultrasound technology with endoscopy, greatly increased the accuracy of lesion diagnosis.

 

In 1987, Philippe Mouret pioneered video-assisted endoscopic surgery.

Modern endoscopy gradually developed with the invention of fiber optic endoscopes. In the 1960s, glass fiber, developed in the United States, received widespread attention across various fields. While optical fibers for transmitting light in fiber optic endoscopes existed as early as the 1930s, progress in transmitting light signals through these fibers was slow due to high light loss during transmission. A fiber optic endoscope is a long, thin, flexible tube containing a bundle of light-guiding glass fibers, with a lens at each end. During examination, one end of the tube is inserted into the organ to be examined, and the internal condition of the organ can be seen from the other end. Endoscopes are usually equipped with an illumination source, and some are also equipped with surgical instruments, such as lasers. The introduction of optical fibers into the light transmission mechanism made video lenses the preferred choice for image capture. The endoscope capable of simultaneously taking photographs was the "fiber optic endoscope," invented in 1964. It wasn't until the 1960s that endoscopes acquired both image capture and measurement capabilities. Around 1975, the era of gastrocameras came to an end, completely replaced by fiber optic endoscopes. Zhang Zhenyuan, a Chinese fiber optics expert, undertook a major national and local science and technology project, "Research on the Large-Scale Production Technology of Series Fiber Optic Image Bundles and Industrial Endoscopes," achieving domestically leading and world-class levels of technology. He also established the only production base in China capable of mass-producing image bundles and endoscopes.

 

In 1983, a new type of charge-coupled device (CCD) endoscope was first successfully developed by Welch & Alling Instruments in New York, USA. The CCD endoscope, inserted into the body, has a CCD "lens" integrated on a small silicon wafer at one end. It is essentially a new type of photoelectric image sensor, similar in function to a television camera. It converts the image of the area being examined into a digital electrical signal, which is transmitted through metal wires and displayed on an "image monitor" similar to a television receiver. The application of this technology made image storage, reproduction, consultation, and computer management possible.

In November 2002, the world's first "high-definition endoscope system" was born, dramatically changing the concept of endoscopy. It incorporated cutting-edge imaging technology, providing image precision that made it possible to diagnose extremely minute lesions. The emergence of modern video endoscopes, electronic endoscopes, and ultrasound endoscopes has ushered in a new era of modern medical endoscopy, moving from the era of examination and diagnosis to the era of treatment and surgery.