responds to changes in joint distention under the highest shaver
suction settings.
"We use it for hips, knees, shoulders, wrists ankles and elbows,"
says Ms. Nosek, "and not one of my 15 surgeons complains."
Another brand had a design flaw, she says, involving a cartridge that
frequently ended up with fingerprints or dents. "We were constantly
replacing that part of the pump," she says. "Now we don't have to
worry about that."
Nor do they worry about compatibility issues. "One surgeon uses a
Smith & Nephew Dyonics cannula as his inflow cannula," she says.
"We just put an adapter on for him."
• Ambient ArthroWand from ArthroCare
How do you know if the water going through the joint is hotter than it
should be?
By using a device like this one, which provides real-time tempera-
ture monitoring of circulating fluid to ensure the temperature within
the joint is being maintained at a safe level. Surgeons can set both
visual and audio alarms that alert them when the temperature reaches
a certain point. "That's helpful and gives you comfort knowing you're
ensuring patients' safety," says Mr. DeConciliis.
• Truepass Suture Passer from Smith & Nephew
Several companies are on board with step-saving suture-passing
devices, which allow for one-handed control and simultaneous suture
passing and retrieval. But Truepass "is a lot easier to manage," says
Ms. Nosek. "Sutures don't get tangled up the way they do with other
systems."
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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 | January 2015
