Introduction: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a vital diagnostic tool in clinical prac-tice, particularly in transcatheter interventions where it aids in both pre-operative planning and intra-operative guidance. Traditional TEE probes often require general anesthesia due to patient discomfort. However, the development of miniaturized TEE probes presents a promising alter-native, enabling routine examinations and interventions with minimal sedation. This study evaluates the feasibility of performing a complete 2D/4D TEE protocol with the new 4D-mini-TEE probe in echocardiography departments and its application in transcatheter interventions. Methods: This prospective, observational study included 30 consecutive patients from two high-volume European hospitals (Interbalkan Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece, and Rennes University, France) undergoing TEE or transcatheter interventions. The new 4D-mini-TEE 9VT-D probe (GE Healthcare) was utilized. The quality of the images and the tolerance of the probe were assessed in the Cath lab during interventions and in the echocardiography department during routine TEE examinations. Results: Direct comparison of the 4D-mini-TEE probe with the standard 6VT-D probe, confirmed the excellent image quality of this new pediatric probe. Most of the patients required minimal sedation or local oropharyngeal anesthesia, with satisfactory tolerance reported. Most of the transcatheter procedures did not require general anesthesia and intubation, resulting in shorter procedural time. Both 2D and 4D imaging modalities offered adequate intra-operative guidance for transcatheter procedures. Conclusions: The 4D-mini-TEE probe delivers exceptional imaging capabilities for routine ex-aminations and transcatheter interventions without needing sedation. Its use reduces esophageal trauma and the need for general anesthesia, enhancing patient comfort and safety.

Continuum robots play the role of end-effector in various surgical robots and endoscopic devices. The robots may be categorized as rigid or soft continuum robots (SCRs). While the SCRs have proven advantages such as safety and compliance, more research and development are required to enhance their capability for specific medical scenarios. This research aims at designing a soft robot considering concepts of geometric and kinematic similarities. The chosen application is a semi-invasive medical application known as Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE), but the methodology can be implemented in other similar applications. Since established rigid carrier construction make use of principles we find as well embodied in vertebral spines, the paragon for soft robot solution can be the phylogenetic precursor of the spine, the Chorda dorsalis. The feasibility of fabrication of a soft endoscopic device derived from that paragon within a robotics laboratory was shown empirically by producing a three-segment pneumatic SCR. The kinematic model was proposed based on the method of transformation matrices, and an algorithm based on a self-organizing map (SOM) was proposed and applied to realize kinematic similarity. The simulation results indicate that the algorithm acting as an open-loop controller forces the soft robot tip to follow the desired path which in this case is the path of the rigid probe. It is concluded that the solution provides a soft robot that can surrogate and succeed the traditional rigid counterpart owing to size, workspace, and kinematics.

Certain configurations of liquefied natural gas refueling stations exhibit a deficiency in managing boil-off gas. Furthermore, the ill-conceived linkage between the submersible pump and the gas storage tank pipeline leads to impeded natural gas transmission. This study employs Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methodology to scrutinize the hydrodynamic attributes of T-type tee and dovetail tee configurations implemented in the pipeline design connecting the submersible pump and storage tank in an LNG filling station across diverse operational scenarios. The T-type tee induces detachment of the primary flow from the inner wall due to inertial forces, resulting in vortex formation and heightened resistance, accompanied by increased energy dissipation. Conversely, the dovetail tee, with its circular wall transition, mitigates vortex generation, reducing the separation zone and consequently minimizing resistance and energy loss. The maximum static differential pressure between the inlet and outlet of the dovetail tee is diminished by 52.52% when compared to that of the T-type tee. In the most noteworthy scenarios, the local resistance coefficient of the dovetail tee is even less than 1/10 of that of the T-type tee. In practical engineering applications, the incorporation of dovetail tees leads to a 17.58% reduction in the required elevation difference. This results in a more uniform flow field and enhanced stability in both flow rate and pressure. Such improvements contribute to heightened engineering efficiency and environmental sustainability, particularly evident in the design of LNG filling stations.