Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.
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6 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6 As a spine surgeon, the features I'm looking for in my power tools are similar to the demands of other orthopods: good ergonomics, long lasting and efficient at cutting through bone. But when trialing a new instrument, there are a few other factors to consider: • Know what your specialties need. The most common tools we spine surgeons use are the burr to remove bone and the drill to place screws. I need a high- speed burr with several attachment options. In order to have the power necessary to safely and efficiently remove bone with the burr, I need to use a pneumatic drill, which has a cord. Yet I'd still like a cordless, lightweight drill that can quickly bore the holes necessary for anterior cervical spinal hardware. Start your shopping by asking surgeons about the tools they most commonly use and the features those tools need to have versus the ones they want them to have. • Look for multi-taskers. Once you know the needs of your surgeons, you may be able to find options that fill those requirements across specialties. For example, the drill I use for my spinal procedures is the same one our sports medicine physicians use. The handpiece stays the same, but the vendor gives me the different attachments and guides I need for each spine case. By standardizing your equipment, you can save money while also making case set-up more efficient. And don't forget about reprocessing: It's always beneficial when you can reduce the number of items staff must learn how to assemble and disassemble. • Trial it with as many surgeons as possible. Orthopedic power tools can be personal for surgeons. The "feel" of the instrument and the way it handles are paramount to efficency and accuracy. That's why trialing a new tool with as many future users as possible is so important. Let them test the tool for a few days and ask for their input. The key question: Is this going to benefit the patient, the facility and the surgeon? While cost is obviously going to play a big role in making a final decision, getting consensus on the tool first from your docs is the best way to ensure good patient outcomes and happy surgeons. — David T. Anderson, MD Dr. Anderson (david.anderson@orthocarolina.com) is an orthopedic spine surgeon at OrthoCarolina in Monroe, N.C. SHOPPING STRATEGIES 3 Tips for Finding the Right Tools • MORE POWER When trialing new power tools, make sure you know each surgeon's must-have features for the device. Pamela Bevelhymer, RN, BSN