travel from one place
to another, both inside
and outside the OR.
Your existing network-
ing infrastructure
might not be able to
carry this load. If
you're using Ethernet
cables, you should
upgrade to fiber. Now,
there are ways to miti-
gate this problem.
Some OR integration vendors compress images at the source and then
uncompress them at the destination to save on bandwidth usage.
Bottom line, you'll need to match your infrastructure to the 4K input
and output sources, otherwise there will be a delay between the time
you click on an image and when the image pops up on your screen. If
you're buying a 4K visualization tower where all of the components of
the camera system are integrated, you won't have as much of a prob-
lem in the OR because everything is directly connected to the output
of the cameras. But if you're sending these files outside the OR, you'll
need the bandwidth required to do so.
• Autoclavability. Some 4K camera heads can't go through the
washer cycle and must be hand-washed with hydrogen peroxide or
another agent. But many camera heads are autoclavable, so they can
undergo a more stringent sterilization process and you don't need to
worry as much about SSIs.
• Light source. Most camera heads are paired with a xenon or LED
light source. LED is the more modern choice, offering longer life and
finer control of color temperature. Still, some surgeons who have
1 3 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9
• 4K SURGERY Ultra-high-def imaging displays brighter, clearer, more detailed
images of small vessels, tissues and organs.
Thinking of Buying…
TB
