Tissue Welding System Effectively Seals Tissues
By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 12 Apr 2011
A reposable thermal ligating system uses "seal and divide” technology to enable surgeons to perform effectively and safely minimally invasive procedures. Posted on 12 Apr 2011
The MiSeal system employs direct thermal energy and focused pressure to create a high-integrity seal and a clean division, while minimizing the risk of collateral tissue damage. The device simultaneously seals and divides soft tissue and vessels, offering surgeons the ability to achieve exceptional patient outcomes at a considerable cost advantage. Advanced procedures can be performed with the system through single port access surgery. In addition, with two active jaws, the system can not only cut and seal, but also grasp and dissect tissue, minimizing instrument exchanges and reducing procedure times.
Image: The MiSeal reposable thermal ligating system (Photo courtesy of Microline).
The system comprises a reusable handle and disposable tips, combining the precision of a disposable instrument with the economic benefits and quality of a fully reusable handpiece. Heating elements are situated at the distal tip, which are activated by a finger switch located on the handpiece of the device. The instrument's dual-action jaw can be used as a dissector or grasper, minimizing instrument exchanges and improving efficiency in the operating room. The MiSeal is powered by the Universal Power Supply (UPS), a compact, one and a quarter kilogram reusable power source that can be hung from an intravenous (IV) pole or sit on a tabletop. The MiSeal is a product of Microline Surgical (Beverly, MA, USA).
"The marriage of reposability with tissue welding technology provides surgeons with advanced instrumentation to perform laparoscopic procedures safely and effectively, while taking into consideration the financial restraints present in today's cost-conscious healthcare environment,” said Sharad Joshi, president and chief operating officer of Microline Surgical. "Furthermore, from a strategic business standpoint, it signals Microline's continued expansion into new surgical applications and growth within existing markets.”
Lasers are already a widespread tool in many operative and therapeutic applications in the surgical field. Many types of lasers have been proposed for laser tissue welding; infrared and near-infrared sources include carbon dioxide (CO2), thulium-holmium- chromium, holmium, thulium, and neodymium rare-earth-doped-garnets , as well as gallium aluminium arsenide diode (GaAlAs) lasers. The laser energy is absorbed by water at the infrared wavelengths and by hemoglobin and melanin at the visible wavelengths, thereby producing heat within the target tissue. As the temperature rises, the extracellular matrix of the connective tissue undergoes thermal changes that lead to the welding of the wound.
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Microline Surgical