18
May 2021
Simple test means thousands of bowel disease patients could avoid regular hospital visits and long waits for treatment
Thousands of bowel disease patients could soon avoid long waits for treatment and regular visits to hospital thanks to a new test that would allow primary care practitioners to monitor the disease.
Currently, ulcerative colitis patients visit an outpatient clinic for two days every few months for a check-up, involving a sigmoidoscopy. These procedures can only take place in a hospital and three members of staff are needed to operate the equipment. Patients then return a week later for the results.
The new portable device called the LumenEye, means sigmoidoscopies could become a thing of the past for colitis patients.
Dr Bu Hayee, consultant gastroenterologist at King’s College Hospital, London, said “Sigmoidoscopy machines can only ever be found in one part of the hospital, the endoscopy unit. They’re in high demand and the waiting list to use them is usually about six weeks.
“The results have to be passed along to the correct person so the patient will be sent home and instructed to come back in a week, all the while not knowing what their situation is.”
Since the start of the year, Dr Hayee, together with a number of other colitis specialists across the country, has been using the LumenEye to assess patients. The device uses a similar-sized probe to a sigmoidoscopy, but is more compact so can be transported between clinics. It can be operated by one person and results can be related within the hour;.
Dr Hayee went on to say “It’s a much more streamlined process. Many of these patients are in incredible pain, and the ability to get them the right treatment quickly is invaluable.
“We’ve already tested it out in local GP practices and received a good response. I think there’s potential for GP’s across the country to use them too.”
The LumenEye is currently being used in six NHS hospitals and while Dr Hayee says he wouldn’t recommend completely abandoning using sigmoidoscopies, he believes it is likely that the new test will become common practice across the country.
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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.
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