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. 2025 May 1;17(3):385-387.
doi: 10.1093/inthealth/ihae067.

Using disruptive innovation to design endoscopic ligators for resource-challenged health settings

Jack T Gardner  1 , Vincent Dusabejambo  2 , Steve P Bensen  1
Affiliations

Using disruptive innovation to design endoscopic ligators for resource-challenged health settings

Jack T Gardner et al. Int Health. .

Abstract

Background: Commercial single-use endoscopic multiband ligators, used for esophageal variceal band ligation (EVL), are prohibitively expensive. To enable greater access to EVL, we used disruptive innovation to develop a novel endoscopic multiband ligator.

Methods: We designed and tested a prototype handle 'ENDOhandle' using computer-aided design modeling and exported a cap, trigger cord and latex to form a functional banding unit.

Results: The cost of the banding unit was US$4.80 compared with several hundred US dollars for commercially available devices in the USA.

Conclusions: Disruptive innovation technology developed an inexpensive ligator for resource-challenged health settings.

Keywords: esophageal banding; innovation; ligator; varices.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
CAD modeling image of the ‘ENDOhandle’ actuator. (A) Component parts of the handle device (B) Assembled handle device.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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