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tackle those visualization challenges when performing ortho's bread-and-butter
procedures.
1. Ultra high-def
One of the biggest shifts in arthroscopic visualization over the past 5 years has
been the introduction and utilization of ultra high-definition 4K technology, says
Shane J. Nho, MD, MS, an assistant professor at Rush University Medical Center
in Chicago, Ill. Dr. Nho says that 4K, which offers 4 times the resolution and 4
times the color reproduction of standard HD, lets surgeons work with clearer,
crisper images at a great depth of field and can magnify the images significantly
without losing definition.
Ultra high-def's improved color reproduction also makes it stand out from
standard HD. Stephan Pill, MD, MSPT, an orthopedic surgeon at OrthoCarolina
in Kernersville, N.C., notes that 4K gives surgeons more life-like representations
of tissue and anatomy. "This helps to differentiate neighboring structures with
similar color profiles," he adds.
Though Dr. Nho says that 4K seems to give a crisper look of the joint and a
better image of the patient's anatomy, he notes that the pricey system hasn't yet
been shown to definitively improve cases. "Does it guarantee a better surgery or
improved outcomes? No," he says. "But I do notice that when I go from 4K to
standard HD, there is a significant difference in picture quality."
2. Image enhancement
Towers featuring video enhancing software are a good option for facilities that
don't want to invest in 4K, but need enhanced images for all their surgical spe-
cialties, including orthopedics, says Dr. Nho. Instead of providing higher resolu-
tion, these technologies offer features that aim to tackle a specialty's biggest
visualization challenges. For example, the systems automatically adjust to the
arthroscopic field to help surgeons see through fluid and debris, as well as
