Ophthalmic Scope Lets You See More Details
High-contrast illumination makes it easy to differentiate tissues.

Your surgeons can see much more in the red reflex than they're accustomed to when they look through the OPMI Lumera surgical microscope, says manufacturer Carl Zeiss Surgical GmbH. The OPMI Lumera is equipped with stereo coaxial illumination technology to provide a bright and stable image with high contrast and extraordinary details that make it easy to differentiate tissues, even when the patient has thick cataracts, says the company. All the illumination settings are on one control element, so the surgeon can manage the depth-of-field management system light transmission with the touch of a button to get the best view for his needs. The scope can be attached to a floor stand or a ceiling mount. To avoid interruptions during procedures, the fully automatic halogen bulb change system switches over to a backup bulb when one burns out. The manufacturer declined to disclose the price. For more information, call (925) 557-4100, visit www.meditec.zeiss.com/lumera or circle 167 on your Reader Service Card.

Chip holds all you need to prevent ID-related surgery errors
In a single glance at InfoLogix's adhesive SurgiChip, you can easily see the patient's name and the intended site of a surgical procedure affixed near the relevant site. If you run a handheld radiofrequency reader over the chip, the manufacturer says, you also get the patient's medical data on a nearby computer, including the procedure he is scheduled to have and another reminder of the correct surgical site. Taking this extra step can help you to spot any discrepancies in the records that could lead to errors, says the manufacturer. The price for this system starts at $50,000 with lease-to-own programs available. For more information, call (215) 604-0691, visit www.infologix.com or circle 168 on your Reader Service Card.

Disinfectant safe for staff and the environment, but not for germs
You can clean the surfaces in your facility without the smell of disinfectants by using Optim 33 TB from SciCan. This hydrogen peroxide-based solution doesn't contain volatile organic compounds so it won't irritate staff's eyes or skin. After its use, it breaks down into water and oxygen, says the company. Even though there's no warning on its label stronger than "Keep out of reach of children," the manufacturer says it's effective enough to kill such bacteria and viruses as MRSA and hepatitis C after a minute of contact and tuberculosis after five minutes. Its list price ranges from $10 for a box of wipes to $95 for four gallons of solution. For more information, call (800) 572-1211, visit www.scican.com/usa or circle 169 on your Reader Service Card.

Therapy sleeve helps to control swelling after arthroscopies
Keeping the right spot cold after an arthroscopic knee procedure can be a challenge for your patients because most packs tend to slide around or are too inflexible to be effective. The Torex premium hot and cold therapy sleeve aims to solve these problems by providing fixed 360-degree coverage that contours to the patient's body, says the manufacturer. The gel inside the pad remains malleable so it can reach every part of the knee, the manufacturer says, and after it can be refrozen and reused. Prices are $22.95 for a medium sleeve, $24.95 for a large sleeve and $26.95 for an extra-large sleeve. For more information, call (216) 881-8299, visit www.torexhealth.com or circle 170 on your Reader Service Card.

Flexible IV container is designed to save time and prevent needlesticks
The VisIV Container has features that make starting an IV quicker and safer, says Hospira, the manufacturer. The container's ports are sterile "out of the box," so all your staff has to do is remove the pull-ring to make it accessible, which the manufacturer says is considerably quicker than swabbing a standard port's surface and removing the overwrap. These ports are also designed to be wider at the top and have a color-coded target to make it easier to insert the needle, says the manufacturer. As an extra safety measure, the ports have flanged heads that act as a shield for the staff member's fingers so she can avoid accidental needlestick injuries. The manufacturer declined to disclose the price. For more information, call (877) 9HOSPIRA, visit www.hospira.com or circle 171 on your Reader Service Card.

Wand can instantly reduce turbinate without disturbing mucus layer
If traditional therapies such as tonsillectomies fail to control a pediatric patient's enlarged turbinates, it may be time to consider the ReFlex Ultra 45 Wand from ArthroCare ENT. This device can be inserted directly into the patient's turbinate, where it uses radiofrequency energy to excite the electrolytes in a saline solution to create a plasma field. According to the manufacturer, this dissolves pieces of tissue by creating a submucosal lesion in five to 10 seconds, and the process is at a low temperature so it won't harm nearby structures. After 15 minutes you can significantly reduce the patient's turbinate without disrupting his mucosal level, which allows him to quickly resume normal breathing, eating and other activities. The price for this device is $225. For more information, call (512) 391-3900, visit www.arthrocareent.com or circle 172 on your Reader Service Card.