Dornier MedTech, a German-based international medical device company specializing in urological treatment, revealed their newly designed ball tip laser fiber, the GentleFlex holmium laser fiber. This specific fiber was designed to accompany other urological devices available through Dornier MedTech that urologists utilize to break down and get rid of kidney stones, a procedure called lithotripsy.
Laser lithotripsy was first introduced in the 1980s and involves physicians inserting a scope into a patient’s urinary tract, locating the kidney stone, threading a laser-equipped fiber through the scope, and then destroying the kidney stone by directing the high-energy laser light at the stone. Standard fibers utilized in this procedure are flat-tipped, meaning urologists have to attempt to straighten the scope before inserting the laser fiber in order to protect the inner lining of the scope from being damaged by the fiber during insertion. This can be time-consuming and technically difficult due to the patient’s anatomy and/or the location of the stone, which may not allow for easy straightening of the scope. For example, if a kidney stone is lodged in the lower pole of a kidney, which is a challenging area to access, it becomes extremely difficult to maintain the optimal position of the scope while concomitantly inserting the laser fiber without having to move the stone to a different location.
Dornier MedTech aims to rectify these issues with the innovative design of the GentleFlex holmium laser fiber, which incorporates a ball-tipped laser tip instead of a flat-tip. This allows physicians to easily slide the laser fiber through a curved, or deflected, scope without risking damage to the scope. This device will help save time and money through decreasing the number of steps required to effectively destroy a kidney stone and limiting costly repairs.
Other medical device companies, such as Boston Scientific, have produced laser fibers similar to the GentleFlex holmium laser fiber. However, they are not always as compatible with the other Dornier MedTech devices utilized during laser lithotripsy, and patient care and outcomes may suffer. Mary Butler, the CTO and Vice President of Product Management at Dornier MedTech, believes that products “made for Dornier by Dornier is the best choice for compatibility and performance.”
Via: Dornier MedTech
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