Product News

Laparoscopic cases depend on a clear view of an untouchable surgical site. When a scope's camera lens fogs up or is otherwise obscured, it slows the proceedings, and if the camera is removed from the trocar for cleaning, it brings the case to a halt.

It's not always necessary, though, to stop the case to clean the lens. Two products that employ different methods to clear the view — the FloShield Plus from Minimally Invasive Devices and the Laparoscopic Lens Internal Cleaning System from Melicor Medical — make the task into nothing more than a moment's pause. Here's a quick overview of each.

OVER FLOW Minimally Invasive Devices' FloShield Plus sheath uses a barrier of air to keep the lens clear.

• FloShield Plus. The laparoscopic surgeon who devised the FloShield Plus ($110, www.floshield.com) says it's not just a cleaning product, but also a supporting player in the video imaging system. The single-use sheath fits over and clips onto 5mm and 10mm standard- and bariatric- length rigid scopes. It continuously channels CO2 from the insufflator over the lens to prevent fogging and remove debris, keeping visualization crystal clear.

In the event that the lens is occluded after touching tissue, the sheath is able to flush the tip on demand with Flo-X, a biocompatible surfactant wash that dissolves fat and dissipates quickly. FloShield Plus is available in 0-, 30- and 45-degree angle versions and is compatible with Storz, Olympus, Stryker and Richard Wolf scopes.

EASY WIPE Melicor Medical's LLICS reaches into the surgical site to clean the lens, eliminating the need to remove the scope.

• Laparoscopic Lens Internal Cleaning System. The thinking behind Melicor Medical's Laparoscopic Lens Internal Cleaning System (LLICS) (www.melicormedical.com) is elementary: Take the cleaning to the camera, instead of taking the camera to the cleaning. A sterile, single-use, sponge-tipped device with a maximum working length of 33cm and a maximum diameter of 5.6mm, the LLICS reaches in through a trocar to swab a dirty lens without stopping the case or losing the scope's placement.

The LLICS cleaning process is simple: a biocompatible surfactant substance is applied to the sponge tip and the device is inserted through an available trocar. Once the tip has been visualized by the camera lens to be wiped, a squeeze of the ergonomic actuator handle deploys it for cleaning and retracts it for removal.

— David Bernard

Pretzel-Shaped Laparoscopic Retractor
The unique shape of the Snowden-Pencer pretzel-shaped laparoscopic retractor lets you retract large organs or other structures while still requiring just a small incision. The shape also enables stronger grip compared to traditional retractor shapes, but still uses the same 5mm shaft as all Snowden-Pencer laparoscopic retractors to help ensure smaller incisions, says the company. To form the retractor into the pretzel shape, you simply turn the knob on the handle.
carefusion.com/medical-products/surgical/surgical-instruments/

Made-to-Order Phaco Footswitches
Your surgeons can get a customized phacoemulsification footswitch to control irrigation, aspiration and ultrasonic power just the way they like it. Linemaster Switch Corporation tailors each pedal to your phaco and microscope equipment. Digital flapper pedals located to the left and right of the main treadle of the footswitch govern microscope controls. Linemaster tests each footswitch to ensure full stroke and response, as well as true linear signal response.
linemaster.com

Keep Loved Ones Informed During Surgery
Relieve the anxiety of patients' friends and family members with text or e-mail surgical updates sent through MDconnectMe, a cloud-based technology that can increase patient satisfaction scores and streamline your communication efforts. Patients scheduled for surgery receive e-mailed links inviting them to sign up for the service, then enter contact information for a handful of people. During procedures, non-scrubbed members of the surgical team send updates to the contact list with a few clicks of the mouse using drop-down menus containing already-created messages. You can also send pre-op instruction reminders — including NPO requirements — up to 2 weeks before surgery.
mdconnectme.com