Olympus Technologies Featured in Several Experience Papers on Energy Advancements

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Jan 23, 2023, 16:05 ET

From ENT to GYN to General Surgery, Electrosurgical "Energy" Solutions Bring Workflow, Ergonomic and Cost Reduction Benefits; Smoke Solutions Help Ensure Adoption of Energy

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., Jan. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Olympus announced today the availability of several Experience Papers focused on the benefits of advancements in electrosurgical devices. Important to the broad range of minimally invasive surgical solutions available to patients, electrosurgical or "energy" devices are designed to allow for efficient dissection and cauterization of tissue. Many times, as explained in these papers, they also contribute to improved workflow in the procedure room. Among these papers developed for a healthcare professional audience, benefits of workflow, ergonomics, cost reduction and control of energy-related smoke were discussed.

The POWERSEAL™ Sealer/Divider Curved Jaw, Double-Action

New Ergonomic Benefits of Energy Devices Used in General Surgery

Lena Nguyen*, DO, a gynecologist with the Women's Center in Fountain Valley, Calif., discusses the ergonomic benefits of the new Olympus advanced bipolar device in the July 2022 issue of General Surgery News. Her paper, Efficiency and Ergonomic Benefit of Using POWERSEAL™ Sealer/Divider Curved Jaw, Double-Action in Gynecologic Procedures, reflects on the significance of ergonomics to clinicians who perform frequent surgeries. She also details the design elements contributing to the enhanced ergonomics of this latest bipolar energy device, including shorter distances from the device handle to the jaw lever, cut trigger, and rotation wheel.

Dr. Nguyen notes: "For me, the POWERSEAL Sealer/Divider device¹ had a better feel than other devices I had used previously. The grip has the right size and design. I have small hands, and this made a difference."

A survey of surgeons who perform minimally invasive gynecologic cancer procedures indicate that most surgeons experience some physical discomfort due to surgery, with female surgeons among those most affected.²

Two more clinical experience papers about the POWERSEAL Sealer/Divider device were recently published in General Surgery News:

POWERSEAL™ Sealer/Divider Curved Jaw, Double-Action: Utility in Bariatric Surgery by Nikhilesh R. Sekhar*, MD, FACS, FASMBS, Senior Faculty of Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai was published in June 2022.
Advanced Surgical Energy—Clinical Experience With the POWERSEAL™ Sealer/Divider Curved Jaw, Double-Action by Justin Maykel*, MD, Chief of the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center was published in April 2022.

Energy Advancements in ENT

Another paper addressing energy to treat the sinuses, entitled "ENT Practices Recognize the Clinical and Financial Benefits of a New Single-Use Debrider,"was authored by Becker's Healthcare staff, based on discussion with three otolaryngologists and discusses the clinical and financial benefits of the CELERIS™ Disposable Sinus Debrider.³

The physicians discussed the utility of minimally invasive technologies like the CELERIS system in the shift to performing more office-based procedures. "Providing certain services in the office in a minimally invasive way means that patients can avoid the cost and inconvenience of general anesthesia," said Jordan Pritikin*, MD Chicago Nasal and Sinus Center. They also discussed the benefit of reducing costs for the practice and the patient by using a portable, single-use debrider that enables in-office treatments. The CELERIS debrider is equipped with a small, reusable power pack that offers mobility and ease of use in an outpatient setting. The CELERIS system requires no special training to use the equipment, making it ideal for facilities that do not have the same nursing staff for all patient cases.⁴ "A large percentage of patients that I've taken to the operating room could be transitioned to the office setting with the addition of this product," said Shane Pahlavan*, MD, The ENT & Allergy Centers of Texas, in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Offsetting the Energy/Smoke Dynamic

With more healthcare facilities recognizing the benefits of energy devices, adoption has risen, and with it, attention to the potential risks of repeated exposure to smoke in the procedural setting. In the United States, to combat the risk of health effects from surgical smoke, 10 states have implemented laws to require smoke management for laparoscopic procedures and additional states have legislation pending for such requirements, according to the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN).^5,6

Jin S. Yoo*, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Duke University Health System, Durham, North Carolina, addressed this concern in an article in General Surgery News, entitled "Managing Surgical Smoke Risk While Improving Visualization and Minimizing Patient CO₂ Exposure Using the Ultravision™ System During Laparoscopy."

"The Ultravision system⁷ is the only technology that will allow the surgeon to perform laparoscopy with low-pressure, low-flow, and low-volume CO2," Dr. Yoo said in the article. "This is one way we can take minimally invasive surgery to the next level in an effort to reduce physiological stress and postoperative pain while providing enhanced visualization for the surgeon and protecting OR staff from smoke and particulates generated by the procedure."

More information about the Olympus Energy devices included in these Experience Papers can be found here:

About Olympus

As a leading medical technology company, 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' Medical 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 devices. For more information, visit medical.olympusamerica.com.

^1. The POWERSEAL Sealer/Divider devices is intended for single use only and not approved for tubal sterilization procedures. Additional risks include unintended thermal damage.
^2. McDonald ME, Ramirez PT, Munsell M, et al. Physician pain and discomfort during minimally invasive gynecologic cancer surgery. 2014;134(2):243-247. doi.org/10.1016/j.ygyno.2014.05.019
^3. As with all electrosurgery instruments, inappropriate use of the CELERIS system can cause damage to tissue, both electrically and thermally.
^4. Data on file with Olympus as of January 19, 2022.
^5. Everyone Deserves a Smoke-Free OR. AORN.org. Accessed January 20, 2023. https://www.aorn.org/get-involved/government-affairs/policy-agenda/surgical-smoke-free-or.
^6. Surgical Smoke Legislation Gaining Traction Across the Country. JointCommission.org. Published June 9, 2021. Accessed July 26 11, 2022. https://www.jointcommission.org/resources/news-and-multimedia/blogs/leading-hospital-improvement/2021/06/surgical-smoke-legislation-gaining-traction-across-the-country/.
^7. The Ultravision System is not intended to be used in non-laparoscopic surgery procedures. 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.