functions) are introduced into the site? Sensors should be able to regis-
ter and regulate these changes, so you don't have a rapid extraction of
fluid that can negatively impact exposure and visualization.
2. More cooperative cameras
A physician's choice of arthroscopy camera system is more often than
not based on the quality of the image it delivers to your OR's flat-
screen display monitors. Cameras with high-definition resolution and
three-chip technology have revolutionized the field with the amount
of information they capture, and competing manufacturers' one-
upmanship upgrades every few years give users plenty to think about.
Running a close (or distant, depending on who's buying) second is the
price of the technology.
But the big picture isn't the only advance that has made camera sys-
tems, and cases, more efficient. Their functionality can also play a big
part. The ease of interchangeability is key. While the physician holds
the camera control body in a steady hand, the 3 mm arthroscopic
probe is almost constantly on the move to provide views of different
areas of the joint. Sometimes he'll need a wider view of the anatomy,
and a switch from a 30-degree to a 70-degree-angle scope will be war-
ranted. When a camera and scope were manufactured as one unit, the
entire setup had to be unplugged and replaced at the video tower.
Now, the interchangeability of scope components, independently from
the camera, without much maintenance, is a huge time- and labor-
saver. Scope probes with independently movable light sources can
improve visualization efficiency as well.
A scope whose lens is able to remain clear is also a huge advantage. It
may not seem like much of a hardship to take a couple of seconds here
and there to remove the probe to wipe off a fogged-up lens, but consider
this: There are as many as 350 steps in a routine arthroscopic rotator cuff
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