When a sharp pain in his abdomen landed Craig Blackman in a local emergency department, he asked for answers. Test after test, doctors could not determine the root cause of his pain. Suggestions of stones in his bile duct, a tumor in the pancreas and pancreatitis, were all investigated. Finally, he underwent an ERCP, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, a typical diagnostic test for location of stones, but none were detected.
Mr. Blackman, of Medford saw Dr. Adam Elfant, Director of Therapeutic Endoscopy at the Cooper Digestive Health Institute for a procedure called SpyGlass™. Cooper is the only center in the region utilizing a new state-of-the-art direct visualization system known as SpyGlass ™. SpyGlass™ uses a precise fiber-optic camera, not much bigger than a pencil point, that is inserted through a catheter (or tube) into the upper digestive tract. Threaded through the stomach and into the bile ducts, the physician can “steer” the camera in four directions allowing them to pinpoint the exact spot they want to examine.
With SpyGlass™, the physician sees clear, color images in real time. Other procedures use two-dimensional, black-and-white images, with indirect visualization, making diagnosis more difficult and less precise. SpyGlass™ also uses a light probe and miniature forceps to take tissue samples. Physicians can see the exact spot being biopsied, which is not possible with other diagnostic procedures.
“There was a lot of uncertainty, and I did not want to have to undergo exploratory surgery,” said Mr. Blackman. “I own an IT consulting business and did not want to be out of work for a long recovery from surgery I may or may not have needed.”
“I was in and out of the office in a matter of hours with a real answer,” said Mr. Blackman. “They found the stone which was lodged in a hard to reach area that only the Spyglass™ could find. It was removed, biopsied, and the best news was that pancreatic cancer was ruled out.”
“This new device is going to increase early diagnosis of pancreatic diseases and cancer,” said Dr. Elfant. “The ability to finally biopsy those most difficult areas of the ducts and pancreas will allow patients to be treated sooner if there is cancer found, leading to better outcomes for patients. This is a remarkable step in diagnosis for this devastating cancer.”
More about SpyGlass™
- Quicker and more precise diagnosis
- Better visualization and mobility for the physician
- Fewer repeat procedures
- Ability to perform immediate biopsies in full view
- Reduced exposure to X-ray
To schedule an appointment with a Cooper University Hospital physician at an office near you, call 1-800-8-COOPER (800-826-6737) to speak with a member of our physician referral and information service.