individual instruments easily
track their locations during
dissection. Passive systems
do not require wiring of
instruments to the machine,
giving surgeons freedom of
movement in the surgical
cavity.
Single-use, proprietary
instruments used with elec-
tromagnetic units add to case
costs, which can be a detri-
ment, says Dr. Senior. He
adds, "Some companies are
starting to develop adaptors
that would let surgeons use
their own instruments with
electromagnetic systems,
although the adaptors still require the purchase of disposable wiring to
connect conventional instrumentation to the system, and the wires can
be expensive.
"From my seat, it appears that electromagnetic systems are gaining
in popularity, although both modalities perform equally well in terms
of efficacy and accuracy."
Maintaining the peak performance of a navigation system and its
instruments or sensors depends on downloading regular, and pricey,
software upgrades, warns Dr. Shah. "As technology advances, it defi-
nitely gets cooler and cooler," she adds. "But then it's sometimes dif-
ficult to balance it with the additional cost."
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 1 0 3
• GOOD LOOK Surgeons and patients are seeking out facilities that boast image-guidance technology.
Brent
Senior,
MD,
FACS,
FARS
