Surgical Cutting Tool Receives Accolade

An innovative instrument that controls bleeding during keyhole surgery has been named an Innovation of the Year 2008 by the US Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons (SLS).

The PlasmaJet system produced by Plasma Surgical received the award from the Society during the 17th SLS Annual Meeting and Endo Expo 2008. “PlasmaJet harnesses aerospace technology and the unique properties of pure plasma to deliver clean, precise surgical cutting and coagulation of tissue and bone,” said Peter Gibson, Chief Executive Officer of Plasma Surgical, who believes that it sets a new standard in surgery and is simple and safe compared with existing techniques.

The system employs a jet of pure argon plasma to provide fast and precise cutting and coagulation of all tissues during surgery. It can be used during conventional and laparoscopic surgery to reduce the risk and duration of complex procedures and it offers the promise of minimising costs by reducing the patient’s stay in hospital.

Electronic design features of the system were contributed by ML Electronics. These include a specialised power supply design that meets the low electromagnetic compatibility and patient leakage safety profiles required for medical systems, complies with all other applicable regulations and specifications worldwide, and is universal to allow use anywhere in the world. MLE also contributed a flow control system that has no moving parts and allows flow levels to be set up in software.

Mike Lloyd, Managing Director of ML Electronics, said, “We have partnered with Plasma Surgical from the original concept [and] through the whole of the design process. We are now working with them on a continuous programme to further extend applications in plasma surgery.”

SLS has an international membership of more than 6000 surgeons and other health professionals who are interested in advancing their expertise in the diagnostic and therapeutic uses of laparoendoscopic and minimally invasive surgical techniques. It recognises the most innovative products of the past year that have a multidisciplinary application in minimally invasive surgery.