Objective
- To develop and test the safety and feasibility of a novel anti-biofilm mechanism configured for wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) in a sheep bladder model.
Materials and Methods
- A WCE mechanism, designed for long-term bladder monitoring, was developed and introduced into a sheep bladder for 5 months.
- The transparency of the surface was assessed by evaluating a resolution target placed inside the capsule at serial intervals using cystoscopy under general anaesthesia.
- Animal behaviour, voiding patterns and urine cultures were monitored throughout the study.
- At study termination, the capsule was extracted and assessed using scanning electron microscopy.
Results
- The resolution target was visualized clearly at all investigation points.
- No notable adverse effects were noted during the entire follow-up period and no urinary tract infection occurred.
- Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the efficacy of the technology to prevent biofilm formation and surface encrustation.
Conclusions
- We report a novel technology that effectively prevents biofilm formation on the outer surface of foreign objects in the urinary tract.
- Further studies are under way to test the applicability of this technology in bladder WCE to enable high-quality wireless image transmission.
