Application of Endoscopic Techniques in Biliary Tract Surgery

Abstract

In 1806, German physician Philip Bozzini invented an optical device that used a candle as a light source to inspect the interior of the bladder and rectum (Bozzini 1806), which was historically recorded as the earliest endoscopic instrument. Dr. Bozzini set the stage for over 200 years of innovations in endoscope development. Endoscopy has experienced the development stage of rigid endoscopy, semiflexible lens endoscopy, fiber-optic endoscopy, and electronic endoscopy. Because of the critical status of the human digestive system, the progress of endoscopy has often played an essential role in the overall advancement of digestive tract disease diagnosis and treatment. Gastrointestinal endoscopy has undergone the stages of rigid-wire endoscopy, fiber-optic endoscopy, electronic endoscopy, radio-electronic endoscopy-capsule endoscopy. The continuous development of gastrointestinal endoscopy provides clinicians with an accurate diagnostic basis. Currently, the commonly used endoscopes are fiberoptic endoscopy and tubular electronic endoscopy, both of which have relatively stable and accurate clinical applications. However, the pain caused by the two types of endoscopy is obvious. This problem has been solved by capsule endoscopy. Although capsule endoscopy has seen tremendous advances in a short period of time, there are still some technical problems to be solved. With the continuous integration of digital science information technology, artificial intelligence technology, and minimally invasive surgery in the new era, it is believed that endoscopic robot technology will become an inevitable trend of digestive tract endoscopy.