- [səpɑ'zətɔ`ːri | -pɔ'zitəri]
-
(sə-pŏz'ĭ-tôr'ē, -tōr'ē)
n., pl., -ries.
A small plug of medication designed to melt at body temperature within a body cavity other than the mouth, especially the rectum or vagina. Also called bougie.
[Middle English, from Old French suppositorie, from Medieval Latin suppositōrium, from Late Latin, neuter of suppositōrius, placed under, from Latin suppositus, past participle of suppōnere, to put under. See suppose.]
---TOKYO |
(Reuters Life!) - A tiny, free-moving capsule camera with fins that can be gulped down and controlled remotely may one day make stomach exams much easier to handle.
Japanese scientists and medical researchers say they have successfully tried out what they believe to be the world's first free-moving, fin-equipped capsule camera small enough to be swallowed and swim through the human digestive tract.
"This shape had to be something that people can swallow, and thus move around freely inside the body and take a picture," said Kazuhide Higuchi at Osaka Medical College in western Japan, one of the lead researchers, to a local broadcaster.
Capsule cameras already exist but most are propelled through the stomach and intestine by peristalsis, the movement of muscles in the digestive tract, limiting their usefulness, said Higuchi and fellow researchers on their website.
But thanks to their efforts, and that of colleagues at Ryukoku University, a capsule has been given magnetic field-powered fins that help it swim around on remote control as it sends pictures back to the examining doctors.
The capsule also works the same way as suppositories* for examinations of the large intestine, researchers said on their website. It leaves the body the same way.
"Even if you leave it inside the body after it finishes taking pictures of your stomach, it will probably just come out as stool," Higuchi added.
The camera is still in the prototype phase and researchers say it will take a few more years before it can be put to practical use.
(Writing by Olivier Fabre; editing by Elaine Lies)
日本新發明／蝌蚪型內視鏡 游到哪拍到哪
磁鐵尾鰭可遙控 減輕病患痛苦
〔編 譯林翠儀／綜合報導〕日本龍谷大學及大阪醫科大學，已成功研發出一種新型的蝌蚪型膠囊內視鏡，這種帶著尾鰭、裝有磁鐵的內視鏡，吞下肚後即可藉由遙控方 式，在消化道內游到哪裡拍到哪裡。未來實用化後，將可運用在上至食道、下至腸道的各個消化道部位，大幅減輕內視鏡對病患造成的痛苦。
膠囊內視鏡早在2001年即已由美國開發完成，日本則在2007年納入醫療保險給付項目，但這種內視鏡吞服下肚後無法自行驅動，只能靠腸胃的蠕動移動，從吞下到排出平均需要16小時，而且只能局部觀察腸道患部，實用效果不如預期理想。
龍 谷大學和大阪醫大研究小組將直徑約1公分、長約2.5公分的現有膠囊內視鏡加工，加裝2至4公分長的橡膠製尾鰭與磁鐵，尾鰭在體外強力電磁的作用下移動， 由於驅動力強勁，在身體平躺的情況下，可經過大腸從肛門排出，屬全球首創。研究小組將這種蝌蚪型膠囊內視鏡暱稱為「美人魚」，5月間在美國芝加哥舉辦的國 際醫學會議上發表相關學術論文。
這種蝌蚪型膠囊內視鏡，每秒鐘可拍攝2張照片，研究小組也發表了這種內視鏡首次成功拍攝到的大腸圖像，包括以往內視鏡難以拍攝的小腸在內，今後從食道到大腸的整個消化系統，都可能在數小時內完成檢查。
進行胃部檢查時，可從口腔吞入蝌蚪型膠囊內視鏡，檢查大腸可由肛門塞入。尾鰭長度依檢查部位自動調整，實驗證明不會刮傷腸胃。曾吞服這種膠囊內視鏡的龍谷大學名譽教授大塚尚武說，吞服時完全不覺得痛苦。
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