Becker's Hospital Review

69 Executive Briefing "We used to treat people with malignant gastric outlet obstruction with an enteral stent, but those often become blocked, and patients spend a lot of time back in the hospital getting their stents unclogged," Dr. Thompson said. "That's not the goal with palliation. You want patients to enjoy life more. Endoscopic gastro-enteral anastomosis allows them to do that, which is great." For this procedure to be successful, however, clinicians must see certain things next to each other in real time, like radiology imaging, endoscopic ultrasound, endoscopy and fluoroscopy. In addition, physicians must be able to change back and forth between those images in real time. "Systems integration is key for that," Dr. Thompson said. "It really can be the difference between success and failure. Fujifilm has a major focus on this area and they've been able to work within our existing infrastructure to address our unique needs." Systems integration is also increasing patient access to advanced endoscopic procedures Today, many advanced endoscopic surgeries are offered only by centers of excellence. "A very small number of hospitals do these procedures very well," Dr. Thompson said. "We need systems integration for them to become more commonplace." With systems integration, experts can have a virtual presence when a physician performs a procedure for the first time or the first several times. An experienced physician is in the room, on a monitor, watching in real time and helping to proctor the procedure. Similarly, technology company reps can also be a virtual presence in the room. "Systems integration allows more people to watch procedures. We have several residents and fellows that want to see procedures, but there are only so many people that will fit in the procedure room," Dr. Thompson said. "Thanks to systems integration, they can watch from outside the room and still ask questions during the procedure. We also record all our cases. If something interesting develops, we catch it on video. Then we can share it and educate people about what can occur and how we dealt with it. It's a great educational tool." Room cameras are also critically important for training, as ergonomic factors contribute to the success of endoscopic procedures. There are many subtleties to teaching endoscopic techniques, such as how clinicians hold the scope, how they position their body, and how they position the patient. "With room cameras, we can demonstrate these points in real time during the procedure," Dr. Thompson said. "It makes all the difference in the world. The Fujifilm system as well as others links the room camera and endoscopic images, so students see them at the same time. They translate the learning into something they can employ later and be more successful doing these procedures." High-resolution images and image enhancement may reduce bleeding and improve patient outcomes With advanced endoscopic surgical procedures, imaging is an essential tool to minimize blood loss. "Any of our procedures, whether it's an endoscopic submucosal dissection to remove an early cancer or a myotomy, are very surgical in nature," Dr. Thompson said. "Seeing vessels ahead of time allows us to seal them, rather than cutting them inadvertently. If you accidentally cut a vessel, the bleeding slows the procedure and can negatively impact patient outcomes." Fujifilm's proprietary Linked Color Imaging (LCI)® technology has significantly improved the clinician experience during third space procedures. "When we do tunneling procedures to perform myotomies, we're in the chest and close to big blood vessels," Dr. Thompson said. "Dissecting through cobwebs of submucosa can be like walking through a forest in a dense fog. We've found with LCI that the blood vessels pop out. You'll see a vessel well in advance, prepare it, and seal it. I really enjoy using the LCI." Looking ahead, imaging and AI will transform GI procedures In the future, AI has the potential to significantly improve many types of GI procedures. "Everything we do in endoscopy is image based, whether it's an aggressive endosurgery or endoscopic ultrasound," Dr. Thompson said. "It's perfect for AI." AI in combination with less invasive imaging modalities, for example, has the potential to revolutionize colorectal cancer screenings. With these technologies, clinicians may be able to identify, characterize, and treat polyps more effectively, as well as more rapidly. AI could also revolutionize the surgical experience for clinicians and patients alike. "Imagine AI analyzing LCI images — it will likely be better than the human eye at identifying blood vessels and navigating physicians through complex endoscopic surgical procedures. Fujifilm is doing some very interesting work utilizing LCI imaging in AI and I think it could help drive the field forward." n As a global endoscopic imaging and systems integration solutions leader, Fujifilm enhances both clinical and information technology workflows to deliver economic value for hospitals and ASCs. Fujifilm's comprehensive portfolio of endoscopic imaging and integration technologies provides an unmatched level of image clarity, image control, and performance for endoscopists and endoscopic surgeons. Fujifilm's innovation doesn't stop at unmatched image clarity and visualization. With a "patient-first" philosophy in mind, we develop solutions focused on practical applications that can be utilized in everyday patient care, empowering physician performance and confidence in conducting both routine and complex cases. With solutions for Core and Advanced GI, Endoscopic Surgery, and Pulmonary applications, Fujifilm accelerates innovation to support hospitals and ASCs in their efforts to optimize patient care. Utilizing Fujifilm endoscopy technologies and systems integration means you gain a true partner helping you get the most from your investment. www.fujifilmsystemsintegration.com | www.fujifilmendoscopy.com/innovation

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