Olympus 2012 Annual Report Download - page 41

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In June 2012, Olympus Japan launched the ITknife nanoTM, a disposable,
high-frequency knife for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of
lesions in the esophagus and large intestine. Olympus in the Americas
will launch this exciting new product later this year.
Product Features
1. The ceramic tip at the distal end of this device is insulated to help
perform incisions and dissections more effectively without impacting
deeper areas of the mucosa.
2. The incision knife tip is smaller in size than its predecessor, the
ITKnife2, and is designed to improve maneuverability.
ESD and Olympus
The advent of ESD marked a departure in endoscopy therapy from that of
the 20th century, greatly expanding the range of endoscopic treatment by
enabling more minimally invasive procedures than previously thought
possible. However, ESD was very difficult technically and there were many
hurdles which limited general acceptance, including the length of treatment
times and the risks of procedural error.
To remedy this situation, in 2002, Olympus introduced the world’s first
dedicated ESD device, the ITknifeTM. Lesions exceeding 2cm that were
previously removed through laparotomy could now be removed and treated
with an integrated endoscope and endotherapy device. Subsequently, the
range of treatments using ESD has expanded to both the esophagus and
large intestine. Over the past decade, Olympus has continued to develop and
fine tune ESD products based on valuable feedback from medical professionals.
This has contributed to the increasing acceptance and procedural
advancement of ESD in the marketplace. Over the past decade, Olympus has
remained the leader in ESD technologies, commanding a significant share of
this growing market. We intend to continue this trend, developing
technologies optimized for ESD, to further expand their application.
New Endotherapy Device
ITknife nanoTM
*1 Polypectomy: Technique used to excise polyp lesions that protrude from mucosal epithelia
*2 EMR (endoscopic mucosal resection, that is, endoscopic mucous membrane excision): Technique for injecting organic saline solution between normal tissue and cancers of the stomach or large intestine, and
excising the cancer with a snare
*3 ESD (endoscopic submucosal dissection): Technique used in excision of a broad range of early-stage lesions
ESD in Endoscopic Therapy: Evolution of Endoscope Treatment Techniques for Early Stage Cancer
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
Polypectomy*1
EMR*2
ESD*3
Lesion: less than
2cm
Lesion: 2.1cm or more
Protruded lesions were excised
with a snare.
Flat lesions were “raised” with
medicated solution and excised
with a snare.
Broader range of batch
excisions becomes possible.
High-frequency snare
Local injection into the
submucosal layer
Local injection into the
submucosal layer Circumferential incision
Snaring Ablation and excision
OLYMPUS 󱚈 Annual Report 2012 39