Teleflex (Morrisville, NC) is releasing the second generation of its Percuvance Percutaneous Surgical System, which allows surgeons to attach 5mm-wide laparoscopic tools while using only a 2.9mm shaft. The Percuvance shaft is inserted directly through the skin, requiring no trocar through which to operate. In order to attach tools that are wider than the shaft, the shaft is pushed through an already existing trocar on the opposite side of the abdominal wall. Once the tip peeks out, the existing instrument can be screwed off and another screwed on. Simply pull back into the abdomen to continue the procedure. Below is a company video that demonstrates the procedure.
The whole idea of the Percuvance system is to produce considerably smaller incisions that will lead to nearly invisible scars without limiting the tools that surgeons are able to use. Not having an additional trocar can also speed up procedure times and simplify things a bit.
The new generation of the Percuvance system features an expanded set of tools that can be attached and a new quick-connect mechanism at the tip to put them on.
From the announcement by Teleflex:
The initial sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and laparoscopic gastric band removal procedures were performed by Dr. Dana D. Portenier* and his team. Dr. Portenier is the Chief of General Surgery at Duke Regional Hospital and the Division Chief at the Duke Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery.
“These are increasingly common but often challenging procedures,” said Dr. Portenier. “Our experiences with the new system are consistent with other clinical studies, which showed that its handling and functionality were similar to standard 5-mm laparoscopic instrumentation. Further research will determine whether the system’s smaller incisions could potentially demonstrate improvements in patient pain, cosmesis, and satisfaction.”
Here’s an animation showing the workings of the Percuvance Percutaneous Surgical System:
Product page: Percuvance Percutaneous Surgical System…
Via: Teleflex…
