Robotic Assistance for Endoscopy
Keep your surgeons' hands free during laparoscopic procedures with EndoAssist. The EndoAssist holds the laparoscopic camera and moves it in unison with the surgeon's head, which it tracks using a headband sensor. The surgeon simply looks in the direction he wants the EndoAssist to move-a glance to the right or left of the monitor causes the camera to pan in the same direction. When the surgeon looks up or down, the camera will zoom in or out. The robot only moves when the surgeon is pressing a footswitch, which means he is completely free to move at all other times. According to the manufacturer, the system could save up to 10 minutes per case, and it always delivers a steady image. The device is a floor standing unit that can be wheeled to any point around the operating table. The base is 520 mm wide by 812 mm deep by 1470 mm high, and the autoclavable arm reaches out 878 mm from the base.
Call Armstrong for pricing. Contact 44 (011) 1494 441446, visit
www.armstrong-healthcare.com, or circle 161 on the Reader Service Card.
Adept adapter 
Avoid the inconvenience and cost of using reusable sterile water to reprocess flexible endoscopes with the
Endo SmartCap disposable sterile water bottle adapter. The cap easily adapts to most major brands of sterile water containers, including Abbott, Baxter and MacGaw, and it connects to Olympus and Pentax scopes. Just open the sterile peel pack and remove the Endo SmartCap. Then open either a 500-cc or a one-liter bottle of sterile water. Next, drop the metal weight into the sterile water bottle and firmly tighten the Endo SmartCap onto the water bottle to ensure a tight seal. Plug the distal tip of the SmartCap into the handpiece of the scope by twisting while pushing firmly. Check the air and water flow. If the water pressure is low, check to ensure that the cap is sealed tightly. You can use the same SmartCap for 24 hours.
The Endo SmartCap costs $17.95; the company says it costs an average of $2.25 per procedure. For more information call (800) 490-9869, visit
www.byrnemedical.com, or circle 162 on the Reader Service Card.
More convenient digital recording
Carl Zeiss offers a new digital still image-capture unit designed specifically for the operating room. MediLive ImageBox connects to any video camera using standard video connections and records captured images directly onto a CD-R. During the procedure, the surgeon can capture still images remotely using a foot switch or a button on the Zeiss microscope handgrip. Before leaving the OR, images can be viewed immediately on the video monitor. ImageBox images display the surgical anatomy with natural color reproduction, clarity and sense of depth. MediLive ImageBox can be used to record high-quality standard format images for documentation, teaching and presentation.
The MediLive lists for $4,998. For more information call Carl Zeiss (800) 442-4020, visit
www.zeiss.com/surgical, or circle 163 on the Reader Service Card.
