Disorders of the small intestine are often difficult to diagnose and treat. More than 20 feet long, an inch in diameter, and located deep within the body, this organ is harder to access than other parts of the digestive tract, such as the colon or stomach.
To overcome those challenges, MIT engineers have designed a new robotic enteroscope that can move easily through the narrow passage of the small intestine, allowing it to perform imaging, deliver drugs, and remove small polyps or tissue samples for biopsy.