Olympus Awarded Vizient Contract for Smoke Evacuation Portfolio

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., Feb. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Olympus today announced it has been awarded a contract for its smoke evacuation products by Vizient Inc. The new, nationwide agreement provides Vizient members preferred pricing for Olympus smoke portfolio products, which include the OR-VAC^™ Surgical Smoke Evacuator, Accessories and Tubing, the Telescopic Smoke Pencil, the Ultravision^™ Generator and Accessories, and the UHI-4 Insufflator. The contract is effective February 1, 2023.

Surgical smoke can contain bioaerosols, viruses and chemicals, some of which are known carcinogens, and is potentially dangerous to operating room (OR) staff. The health hazards to those who inhale surgical smoke over time include infection and debilitating illness.¹

The Joint Commission, a national standards-setting and accrediting body in health care, recommends safety actions for managing the hazards of surgical smoke, including the use of smoke management devices to reduce the risk of potential exposure to aerosolized contaminants.² New York State is the latest to enact OR smoke control legislation mandating that hospitals install local exhaust ventilation systems in procedure rooms to control smoke and reduce the risk of staff exposure, bringing the total of states with smoke control legislation to 10.³

"Containing surgical smoke is critical for the health and wellbeing of surgical staff, which is why we are very pleased to be able to offer the Olympus smoke control solutions to Vizient members as part of this collaboration," said Sean Ward, Vice President for Enterprise Solutions at Olympus Corporation of the Americas.

Vizient is the largest member-driven healthcare performance improvement company in the U.S. serving more than half of the healthcare organizations nationwide. Vizient members represent a diverse base of integrated delivery networks, academic medical centers, pediatric facilities, community hospitals and non-acute health care providers that collectively have more than $130 billion in annual purchasing volume.

The entire Olympus surgical smoke portfolio is made available under this contract, including:

• The OR-VAC™ Surgical Smoke Plume Evacuation System provides smoke management for physician offices and outpatient surgery centers and features a variable filter life, compact design, and three-port filter with filter life tracking capabilities.⁴
• The Telescopic Smoke Evacuation Pencil features an extendable, telescopic capture port that extends up to six and half inches and is designed to get closer to the surgical site, thus eliminating the need to exchange electrodes.³
• The Ultravision^™ Smoke Management System Generator uses electrostatic precipitation to suppress surgical smoke during laparoscopic surgery, down to 0.007 μm (sub-viral) particle size,^5,6 and significantly reduces CO2 exposure to patients during laparoscopic procedures.
• The UHI-4 (High Flow Insufflation Unit with Smoke Evacuation capabilities) insufflates the abdominal cavity to facilitate laparoscopic observation, diagnosis, and treatment. The UHI-4 also provides an option for automatic smoke evacuation working in conjunction with the Olympus THUNDERBEAT^™ device platform.

Olympus surgical smoke evacuation solutions support health care organizations in improving the work life of health care providers, which, along with enhancing patient experience, improving population health, and reducing costs, is part of the Quadruple Aim to advance health care efficiency.

About Olympus

Olympus uses innovative capabilities in medical technology, therapeutic intervention, and precision manufacturing to help healthcare professionals deliver diagnostic, therapeutic, and minimally invasive procedures to improve clinical outcomes, reduce overall costs, and enhance the quality of life for patients. Olympus' portfolio includes endoscopes, laparoscopes, and video imaging systems, as well as surgical energy devices, system integration solutions, medical services, and a wide range of EndoTherapy instruments. For more information, visit medical.olympusamerica.com/.

Fair Balance Statements

The OR VAC^™ Surgical Smoke evacuator is intended to evacuate and filter surgical smoke and aerosols created by the interface of surgical tools with tissue. Make sure to inspect the surgical smoke evacuator before use to ensure there is no damage. Read and understand all warnings, contraindications, and instructions prior to use.

The Integrated Telescopic Smoke Evacuation Pencil is designed for general electrosurgical applications and for removing smoke generated by electrosurgery when used in conjunction with an effective smoke evacuation system. Use with caution when patients have electronic implants such as a cardiac pacemaker. Accidental activation of the device may cause injury to patients and operating room personnel. Read and understand all warnings, contraindications, and instructions prior to use.

The Ultravision^™ System is indicated for the clearance of smoke and other particulate matter that is created during laparoscopic surgery. It is not intended to be used in non-laparoscopic surgery procedures. As with electrosurgical instruments, contact between the Ionwand and uninsulated metallic instruments should be minimized to prevent electrostatic discharge. Always switch off the Ultravision Generator before removing the Ionwand from the patient.

The UHI-4 High Flow Insufflator is intended to insufflate the abdominal cavity and provide automatic suction and smoke evacuation to facilitate laparoscopic observation, diagnosis, and treatment. This device should always be used with medical grade CO2 gas only. Excessive flow rates and/or pressures may result in an excessive absorption of CO2 and/or gas embolism. Other possible complications include CO2 embolization, hypothermia, and carbonic acid irritation of the diaphragm. Using gases other than CO2 may result in fire, poisoning, and complications. This device is contraindicated for hysteroscopic insufflation and must not be used for intrauterine distension.

¹ Ogg MJ. Surgical smoke inhalation: dangerous consequences for the surgical team. NIOSH science blog. June 18, 2020. Accessed January 27, 2023. https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2020/06/18/surgical-smoke/

² Quick Safety: Alleviating the Dangers of Surgical Smoke. JointCommission.org. Published December 2020. Accessed January 31, 2023. https://www.jointcommission.org/-/media/tjc/newsletters/quick-safety-56-surgical-smoke-final3.pdf
³ Surgical Smoke-Free OR. AORN.org. Accessed January 27, 2023. https://www.aorn.org/get-involved/government-affairs/policy-agenda/surgical-smoke-free-or
⁴ Data on file with Olympus as of April 7, 2021
⁵ Data on file with Alesi Surgical
⁶ Ansell et al: Surgical Endoscopy: 26. Feb. 2014: Electrostatic precipitation is a novel way of maintaining visual clarity during laparoscopic surgery: a prospective double blind randomized controlled pilot study.

SOURCE Olympus