RESCOPE

Endoscopy requires strict infection control to keep patients safe, but this results in significant medical waste and resource use, making endoscopy the third-highest waste producer in the medical field. Current systems rely on either reusable devices that require complex and resource-intensive sterilisation, or fully disposable devices that generate significant medical waste, despite only part of the device becoming contaminated during use.The challenge was to reduce this waste without introducing additional risk or disrupting established clinical workflows. This required working within strict sterility and regulatory constraints, while identifying how contamination could be isolated within the device to enable partial reuse.

RESCOPE was developed by looking at where contamination actually occurs in existing endoscopes, identifying that the insertion section is the primary exposed component during procedures. Early ideas explored full-device reuse and simplified disposal, but issues around sterility, workflow, and human error made these impractical. The final design is a modular system where the contaminated tip is removed and replaced after use, while the rest of the device is reused. This works alongside a semi-automated reprocessing unit that guides the removal and replacement of the contaminated tip, helping ensure correct handling in busy clinical environments.

RESCOPE provides an opportunity to lower medical waste in the medical endoscopy field. This is achieved by rethinking reusability through RESCOPE's modular design, cutting waste by approximately 82% per procedure. This lowers the amount of clinical waste generated in hospital settings. The modular system also reduces long-term costs by limiting full-device disposal and reducing reliance on complex sterilisation processes. The reprocessing unit helps guide handling in busy clinical environments, reducing the chance of user error and cross-contamination while improving consistency. By fitting into existing workflows, RESCOPE enables a significant reduction in endoscopy waste without compromising the safety of patients.

RESCOPE is built around a modular design that allows the contaminated tip to be separated from the rest of the device, meaning the majority of the system can be reused. This detachable component posed a major design challenge as it needed to maintain three critical functions across the connection point: control wire movement for tip deflection, electronic data transfer from the camera and light, and activation of the irrigation and suction system.This was resolved using embedded magnets. Mini neodymium magnets align the control wires, a stronger central magnet connects the irrigation and suction push-rod mechanism, and pogo pins transmit electrical signals between sections. The connection also uses a bayonet-style interface with a ramped geometry and twist-lock action, allowing the two parts to self-align and securely engage with a simple motion. This reduces connection complexity and supports fast and intuitive handling in demanding clinical environments.This new endoscope design is supported by a semi-automated reprocessing unit that guides tip removal and replacement while keeping sterile and contaminated components separate. The unit helps standardise handling in busy environments, reducing reliance on user judgement. A built-in UV chamber provides surface cleaning for the reusable body, supporting safe reuse on a consistent basis.