First Private Hospital in the UK to Use Innovative Endoscope Device

King Edward VII’s Hospital is delighted to announce the acquisition of a new innovative device, which is designed to improve diagnosis and prognosis for patients with colorectal and gastrointestinal diseases.

The LumenEye® X1 is a digital alternative to the conventional sigmoidoscope and could radically change bowel patient care pathways. Invented by Fareed Iqbal, a bowel surgeon with over 10 years’ experience of treating colorectal cancer patients, it is a pioneering handheld digital endoscope.

The device supports with the accurate diagnosis of bowel conditions as well as detecting polyps and conducting biopsies, using a full-high-definition camera to create images and video of the lower gastrointestinal tract. It can also be offered as a less invasive alternative to bowel surveillance in patients following bowel surgery and cancer treatments, and as sedation and full bowel preparation is not needed patients can be seen in clinic rooms or at the bedside.

“Even before Covid-19 there was a need to re-design cancer pathways and modernise point of care diagnostics.” comments Mr James Kinross, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at King Edward VII’s Hospital, who was the lead in a recent study on the device. “The LumenEye® device is a really smart upgrade to a 200-year-old instrument. It can be deployed in a normal clinic room and within minutes the doctor is able to see high-quality images and video capture. Satisfactory diagnoses were made in 96% patients and, where needed, the doctors could easily take biopsies.”

“This technology could help gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons in detecting polyps and triaging patients based on bowel cancer risk. As no sedation is required, LumenEye® could be a flexible way to monitor chronic bowel conditions like ulcerative colitis, which could move to an office assessment model in place of colonoscopy.”

About our Colorectal Service

Our service brings together a team of leading colorectal specialists and includes a colorectal robotics service, an urgent bowel cancer service and rapid access to a state-of-the-art endoscopy unit as well as a da Vinci Xi robot for minimally invasive procedures.

Patients also benefit from the expertise of a Colorectal Advanced Nurse Practitioner, offering highly specialised nursing care and support throughout what can be a difficult time.

Find out more about our Colorectal Service.