BIX-LV43 Gastroscope and ERCP Model Review: Useful Anatomy, Honest Limits

Endoscopy is learned through the scope, and the first hundred procedures are spent learning navigation rather than pathology. A mechanical model earns its place if it shortens that navigation phase without teaching habits that fail on a patient. BIX-LV43 reproduces the upper GI tract — oesophagus, cardia, gastric cavity, pylorus, and the descending, transverse and ascending duodenum — with a clear endoscopic image, a set of common GI lesions, and support for oesophagoscope, gastroscope and colonoscope practice. Retrograde cholangiopancreatography can be performed on it.

What the anatomy lets you teach

Scope handling before pathology. The oesophagus-to-duodenum run is the sequence a trainee must complete without looping. Because the model's lumen is fixed, a loop is felt rather than guessed, and the trainee learns to reduce it before advancing.

Landmark recognition. Cardia, incisura, pylorus and the duodenal sweep are the four landmarks that decide whether a trainee is oriented. The model's clear imaging makes each one identifiable in the same session.

Lesion identification. A set of common lesions is supplied, which turns a navigation drill into a recognition drill: find the lesion, describe it, decide on biopsy.

ERCP steps. Retrograde access to the papilla can be rehearsed, which is the part of ERCP that novices most often fail to reach. Note that this is mechanical access practice, not fluoroscopic cannulation.

How it compares with other training routes

The published ERCP training literature is blunt about where models fit: mechanical simulators with validated tasks improve novice performance [1], competency assessment tools for ERCP are still being validated [2], and structured trainers can accelerate the early learning curve in a multicentre randomised trial [3]. None of that replaces supervised human procedures; it moves the early, low-yield part of the curve off the patient.

A 45-minute session

1. 0–8 min: blind navigation. Trainee intubates and reaches the second part of the duodenum without instruction. Time it.
2. 8–20 min: landmark recall. Stop at each landmark and name it; instructor marks errors on a map.
3. 20–32 min: lesion round. Identify supplied lesions and describe each in standard terminology.
4. 32–42 min: ERCP access. Attempt retrograde access; record number of attempts to reach the papilla.
5. 42–45 min: debrief. Compare attempts with the first run and set the next target.

Limits to state plainly to your trainees

• No bleeding or perforation consequence. The model does not simulate complications, so complication management is taught separately.
• No fluoroscopy. ERCP cannulation is mechanical; radiation-based confirmation is not represented.
• Fixed pathology set. Once students memorise the supplied lesions, the recognition value declines; rotate or supplement with image banks.
• No patient movement or sedation physiology.

Buying notes

1. Confirm scope compatibility. Ask which endoscope diameters and lengths the model accepts before ordering.
2. Ask for the lesion list. Knowing exactly which pathologies ship with the unit prevents duplication with your image library.
3. Check the cleaning protocol. Shared models need a documented cleaning routine between users.
4. Budget for a mounting stand. A model that moves during a loop is a model that teaches the wrong feel.

Quotation and lesion list. Current pricing for BIX-LV43, the supplied lesion set and a mounting stand is available from cprmodel@adaanatomy.com.

FAQ

Q1. Which anatomy does BIX-LV43 include? Oesophagus, cardia, gastric cavity, pylorus, and the descending, transverse and ascending duodenum.

Q2. Can ERCP be practised on it? Yes. Retrograde cholangiopancreatography can be performed on the model.

Q3. Which endoscopes fit? The manufacturer lists oesophagoscope, gastroscope and colonoscope practice on the model; confirm the exact diameters and working lengths with the supplier before ordering.

Q4. Does it include pathology? Yes, a set of common gastrointestinal lesions is provided for identification practice.

Q5. Is it a virtual reality simulator? No. It is a mechanical anatomical model with a scope-compatible lumen and clear imaging.

Q6. What is the price? Quoted per order, depending on configuration and destination.

References

1. Voiosu T, et al. Motion training on a validated mechanical ERCP simulator improves novice endoscopist performance. Endosc Int Open. 2021;9:E145–E151. doi:10.1055/a-1315-1994
2. Khan R, et al. Validity evidence for observational ERCP competency assessment tools: a systematic review. Endoscopy. 2023;55:847–856. doi:10.1055/a-2041-7546
3. Teles de Campos S, et al. Fast-tracking ERCP learning with the Boškoski-Costamagna Trainer: results of a multicenter randomized trial. Endoscopy. 2025;57:230–239. doi:10.1055/a-2443-6582

For a quotation on BIX-LV43 with the lesion set and a mounting stand, write to cprmodel@adaanatomy.com with the scopes you train on.