Endoscope Buttons
An endoscope is a long flexible tube with a light source, a monitor and dial controls that direct the tip through the bowel. There are also buttons that enable air and water instillation and channels that allow passage of various instruments during the procedure.
During an examination, it is important to know how to use the various buttons on an endoscope properly. These include suction, air/water infusion, up/down angulation control knobs and tip deflection control knobs.
Suction button
A suction button (sometimes referred to as a suction or suck button) is the endoscope button that allows the user to control the insufflation of air and water for the endoscope. It also controls the opening and closing of the accessory channel to pass biopsy forceps and other instruments through the scope during the procedure.
It is usually placed on the top of the insertion tube. Its opening or partial depression feeds air through the endoscope and it’s full depression flushes water to clear the lens, which allows a better view of the mucosa.
To start the suction control of the endoscope, the button 120 is pushed down with hand fingers until the valve member 104 of the suction valve 100 slides downward along the valve casing 102 as shown in FIG. 2.
As a result, the suction side path 106 comes to communicate with the suction source side path 108 through the side through-hole 116 of the valve member 104. The negative pressure generation source operating in the suction inlet of the tip distal end of the insertion portion generates a negative pressure force that acts on the inside of the suction side path 106, thereby sucking up filthy matters, mucus and other substances left in the somatic cavity.
The resulting negative pressure suction force is then transmitted to the endoscope through the tip distal end of the insertion tube as shown in FIG. 3.
When the hand fingers are removed from the push-and-move portion of the button 120, the valve member 104 returns to its ordinary state as shown in FIG. 1. This state is maintained, until the button 120 is pushed up again by the energizing force of the spring 114. With this, the suction side path 106 and the suction source side path 108 are switched from one to the other or vise versa corresponding to the position of the valve member 104 in the valve casing 102.
Air/water infusion button
The best part is it’s easy to do. Most endoscopes have one, if not multiple buttons to choose from. A few are even set up in a central location for easy access when the need arises. Using the right tools can result in a much less stressful operation for you and your team. a few tips and tricks are endoscope buttons necessary to ensure you get the most from your equipment. The most important tip is to remember to make your list of essentials a revolving list.
Up/down angulation control knob
During a procedure, endoscopists use the up/down angulation control knob to sweep the tip of the insertion tube (the distal end of the scope) in all directions. This is achieved by rotating either the up-and-down angulation control or the right-and-left angulation controls together, which produces a combined tip movement that is similar to sweeping the endoscope with your fingertip.
The up/down angulation controls are controlled by four wires that run the length of the insertion tube and firmly attach to the tip of the bending section at the 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, 9 o’clock, and 12 o’clock positions. Pulling on the wire at the 3 o’clock position causes the bending section to curl upward, which endoscopists refer to as “up tip deflection.” The same effect can be achieved by pulling on the other three wires.
When an endoscope is in the midst of a particularly tight bowel angulation, this mechanism allows the physician to adjust the bending section without moving the tip of the insertion tube. This is an invaluable aid to the surgeon when performing a complex maneuver such as a transverse colonoscopy or esophagogastroduodenoscopy, and it is an essential feature of any duodenoscope.
In addition to the up/down angulation control, there are also buttons that can perform more basic tasks such as air inflation or water infusion. The Air/water infusion button is the smallest, and it can be activated with simple closure of the hole on the endoscope. The most common use of this button is for air inflation, which can help improve visualization.
Tip deflection control knob
The tip deflection control knob is an essential instrument that can be used to perform a variety of tasks, including air inflation, water infusion and suction. This knob is found on the control section of an endoscope and is used to control vertical (up and down) and lateral movements of the tip.
To deflect the distal tip of the endoscope upward, the examiner needs to first grip the insertion tube with both hands. The left hand grabs the control section and the right hand pinches the proximal end of the distal section to hold it in place. The insertion tube is then rotated in an upward direction, which allows the examiner to manipulate the tip of the endoscope, thereby deflecting it in the up or down direction.
In addition to the tip deflection knob, the insertion tube has two additional control knobs that can also be used to manipulate the endoscope. These knobs are located near the distal end of the insertion tube and are attached to four wires that run along the length of the insertion tube.
These wires can be pulled to rotate the bending section in an endoscope buttons up or down direction, which achieves what endoscopists refer to as “up tip deflection.” Pulling on one of these wires has the effect of pulling on the insertion tube in the right or left direction, which achieves what endoscopists call “right tip deflection.”
There are several other angulation techniques that can be used to manipulate the bending section of the insertion tube. These include up/down, right/left and twisting methods. These techniques are based on the examiner’s preference and are not required during EGD.
During EGD, the examiner should use the up/down angulation control knob to deflect the distal tip of the endoscope slightly upwards toward the pyloric ring of the patient’s stomach. This is necessary to avoid a condition called looping, which can be dangerous for the patient and can result in the need to repeat the procedure.
During the colonoscopy, an examiner should also use the up/down angulation control to deflect the distal tip of the scope upward toward the uvula and the space on the left side of the uvula. This prevents the uvula from being irritated and helps the examiner to insert the scope more easily into the duodenal bulb.
