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F R O M
T H E
S H O W
F L O O R
cutting, sealing and dissecting, which makes a lot of sense, because
then you can bring the instrument to the tissue, not the other way
around. And Firefly Fluorescence Imaging uses intravenously injected
indocyanine green and a laser-emitting scope to let us visualize vasculature and perfusion while we're operating with robotic precision.
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iDrive Ultra from Covidien
4
OVS-1 Video System from Olive Medical
The iDrive Ultra looks like a cordless electric drill. What it
offers is fully powered endoscopic stapling, and it's a welcome development. A manual endo-stapler tends to require a great deal of force
to fire, which usually ends up monopolizing both of your hands. The
iDrive makes the job much easier, and single-handed. There's no question that laparoscopic surgeons will benefit from this ergonomic
advance, especially we women.
When I'm working with thick tissue, I've had manual stapler handles
crack on me, but this device is fail-safe. Indicator lights warn you
when it senses that tissue is too thick, when the battery is spent or
when you need to reload. If there's an issue hindering its operation
when it's handed to you, it's not going to let you go ahead, and that's
valuable feedback.
The iDrive features Covidien's Tri-Staple Technology, the ability to
deploy 3 different heights of staples for varying tissue anatomy. It's fully
autoclavable, except for the non-sterile, rechargeable, lithium-ion battery, which provides 8 to 10 hours of use. Covidien says the stapler
costs $10,000 to $12,000, and a 50-staple reload $200 to $300.
The typical support setup for video imaging includes a camera
control unit, light source and display monitor stacked on a tower or cart.
It makes a substantial footprint in the OR and it costs in the $40,000
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | J U N E 2013
