4. Pentax: DEC HD disposable elevator duodenoscope
Pentax’s subsidiary Hoya won FDA clearance for its DEC HD sterile, disposable elevator duodenoscope in November 2019.
The duodenoscope’s creators designed it to reduce the number of parts that require cleaning and disinfection between uses. It allows physicians to simply and safely dispose of the elevator with a sterile-disposable distal cap with a lightweight ergonomic control body.
Tokyo-based Hoya’s DEC HD device is designed to help diagnose, visualize mucosa in detail, identify abnormal tissue and locate papilla for cannulation.
“Disposable endoscopes are still some way away from replacing conventional endoscopes. However, we predict that the presence of disposable endoscopes will rise in the medium to long term. With patient safety and hygiene positioned at the forefront of our product design and development programs, we will continue to pursue how we can provide a breakthrough solution in infection prevention,” Kaori Kawashima, Pentax Medical’s GM of corporate communications and product branding, told Medical Tubing + Extrusion.
