Cloacal anatomy and sex determination in Tiliqua sp.

A rigid endoscope was used to examine the cloacae of an adult pair of Tiliqua gigas gigas, and single specimens of Tiliqua gigas evanescens and Tiliqua sp. (Irian Jaya form). Throughout the procedure the animals showed no signs of stress. Clear anatomical differences were observed between the sexes. Females presented the typical two pairs of papillae (ureteral and genital) and males a single pair of urogenital papillae. The observed differences were confirmed when both pairs bred successfully in the following year.

Author Correction: Improvement of nerve imaging speed with coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering rigid endoscope using deep-learning noise reduction

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Improvement of nerve imaging speed with coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering rigid endoscope using deep-learning noise reduction

A coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) rigid endoscope was developed to visualize peripheral nerves without labeling for nerve-sparing endoscopic surgery. The developed CARS endoscope had a problem with low imaging speed, i.e. low imaging rate. In this study, we demonstrate that noise reduction with deep learning boosts the nerve imaging speed with CARS endoscopy. We employ fine-tuning and ensemble learning and compare deep learning models with three different architectures. In the fine-tuning strategy, deep learning models are pre-trained with CARS microscopy nerve images and retrained with CARS endoscopy nerve images to compensate for the small dataset of CARS endoscopy images. We propose using the equivalent imaging rate (EIR) as a new evaluation metric for quantitatively and directly assessing the imaging rate improvement by deep learning models. The highest EIR of the deep learning model was 7.0 images/min, which was 5 times higher than that of the raw endoscopic image of 1.4 images/min. We believe that the improvement of the nerve imaging speed will open up the possibility of reducing postoperative dysfunction by intraoperative nerve identification.

Problems of processing a rigid endoscope with ambulatory ent manipulations

The article presents information on the stages and peculiarities of processing rigid endoscopes in the provision of outpatient medical care in the otorhinolaryngological service.

Upgraded bidirectional approach video-assisted neck surgery (BAVANS) using a rigid endoscope with variable viewing direction for advanced endoscopic lymph node dissection in thyroid cancer patients

In 2011, we developed bidirectional approach video-assisted neck surgery (BAVANS) for endoscopic thyroid cancer surgery. BAVANS combines two different approach pathways at 180 degrees to the cervical lesion for endoscopic thyroidectomy and complete cervical lymphadenectomy. We reported previously that the cranio-caudal approach is extremely useful for endoscopic complete lymph node dissection around the trachea. In 2014, we upgraded the initial BAVANS for better maneuverability and quality of lymph node dissection. A new high-tech rigid endoscope with a variable viewing direction (EndoCAMeleon™), has enabled us to reduce the camera port in the anterior neck while keeping the easy maneuverability and the same quality of central lymph node dissection (LND) as with the initial BAVANS. Endoscopic thyroid cancer surgery is now evolving concurrently with new visual technology.

A novel approach to removal of ingested sharp objects in a 25-year old patient with 23 prior procedures

Recurrent ingestion of sharp foreign body ingestion is a rare phenomenon but it challenges the surgeon since the patient often has been operated on several times before, making a simple gastrotomy a high risk procedure. Here we report a patient with 23 prior procedures due to foreign body ingestion of which 15 were knives. In the case presented she had an 18 cm long steak knife embedded in the esophageal mucosa. An overtube was not available why a rigid endoscope was successfully used in combination with a colon polypectomy snare.