Review
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World J Gastroenterol. Sep 21, 2022; 28(35): 5093-5110
Published online Sep 21, 2022. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i35.5093
Robotic, self-propelled, self-steerable, and disposable colonoscopes: Reality or pipe dream? A state of the art review
Conchubhair Winters, Venkataraman Subramanian, Pietro Valdastri
Conchubhair Winters, Venkataraman Subramanian, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, St. James’s University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, United Kingdom
Pietro Valdastri, School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
Author contributions: Winters C wrote the article; Valdastri P and Subramanian V made substantial contributions to the content, offered critical revisions and approved the final version of the article.
Supported by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Early Detection and Diagnosis Research Committee, No. 27744.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Winters C, Subramanian V and Valdastri P report a grant from Cancer Research UK, during the conduct of the article. Any opinions, findings and conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of CRUK.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Conchubhair Winters, MBChB, Doctor, Research Fellow, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, St. James’s University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, United Kingdom. c.r.winters@leeds.ac.uk
Received: May 6, 2022
Peer-review started: May 6, 2022
First decision: June 8, 2022
Revised: June 21, 2022
Accepted: September 1, 2022
Article in press: September 1, 2022
Published online: September 21, 2022
Processing time: 132 Days and 3.4 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: Colorectal cancer is a common cause of cancer related mortality. Detection and removal of precancerous polyps reduces the risk of colorectal cancer. Colonoscopy is the gold standard investigation for colorectal polyps and cancer but can be uncomfortable due to the mechanics of the procedure. Robotics has the potential to reduce the discomfort and improve the procedure for patients, while improving key performance indicators. Robotics can offer a more intuitive endoscopic appearance, using various methods to negotiate the colon to reduce discomfort. Robotics could lead to a more effective, better tolerated, safer, autonomous colonoscopy with minimal operator interaction.