Research and Data
Robotic Surgery
Impaired robotic surgical visualization: archaic issues in a modern operating room
Robotic-assisted surgery faces challenges in visualization, with over half of observation time compromised by lens occlusions, attributed to a variety of surgical factors and activities. A staggering 20% of surgeries may have 90% of the time spent under suboptimal visualization! Addressing these issues is crucial for improving the effectiveness and safety of procedures.
Assessing visualization in robotic-assisted surgery: demystifying a misty lens
In Da Vinci XI robotic-assisted surgery, frequent lens occlusion events occur every 24.5 minutes, despite cleaning every 36.5 minutes. Surgeons worked through compromised visualization for nearly 35x the time it would take to clear the lens. Surgeon reluctance to interrupt procedures for maintenance prompts further investigation into its impact on outcomes and patient safety.
Laparoscopic Surgery
A Clean Sweep: Initial Experience with a Novel Intracavity Laparoscopic Cleaning Device
The Novel Intracavitary Laparoscopic Cleaning Device (NILCD) efficiently cleaned laparoscopic lenses during surgery without removal, achieving a 90.14% success rate in preventing scope removal during debris events in 167 cases across various surgical specialties, demonstrating its robust effectiveness and positive surgeon satisfaction across a wide range of surgical procedures and scenarios.
Stop the leak!: Mitigating potential exposure of aerosolized COVID-19 during laparoscopic surgery
Investigating gas leakage during laparoscopic surgery, researchers found consistent and notable leakage during instrument exchanges in and out of trocar ports. Data shows an increased level of potential exposure events for healthcare professionals to aerosolized particles, including viruses, during such instrument exchanges (i.e., scope removals for lens cleaning). Minimizing laparoscope and instrument replacement is crucial for safety of the OR team, as was noted most especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.