Influence of different lubricating fluids on friction trauma of small intestine during enteroscopy

Given the increasing attention to abdominal pain problem caused by small intestine damage during enteroscopy, the development of lubricating fluids for injury prevention has become an urgent task. In this study, in vivo friction experiments were conducted by using rabbit small intestine tissue under natural condition and lubricated conditions of Normal Saline, Calf Serum and Hyaluronic Acid, respectively. A quantitative grading system was designed to assess the friction trauma of the small intestine tissue. Results showed that the Calf Serum or Hyaluronic Acid lubricant could relieve the traumas and reduce the friction at the probe-small intestine mucosa interface. These results can be useful to identify the suitable lubricating fluids for the safe operation of enteroscopy.