Olympus has announced the expansion of its THUNDERBEAT range.
The THUNDERBEAT Open Extended Jaw has now been launched – the first Olympus product to be specially designed for use in open surgical procedures.
The device is based on the established concept of synergistic energies, with one crucial difference – the instrument has been further optimised to suit the requirements of open surgery. Compared to the laparascopic model, it is shorter overall, but its jaws are 25% longer to enable comfortable use.
THUNDERBEAT Open Extended Jaw is one of the most-versatile instruments currently on the market
THUNDERBEAT Open Extended Jaw cuts quickly, reliably seals blood vessels and enables very-precise tissue dissection without any unwanted bleeding.
The ergonomics of the handle have also been adjusted to facilitate accurate operations. “THUNDERBEAT Open Extended Jaw is one of the most-versatile instruments currently on the market,” said Frank Drewalowski, managing director of the medical systems division at Olympus Europa, SE and Co.
“Our aim was to offer surgeons the precision and convenience they are already familiar with in laparoscopies for open procedures.”
In addition to general surgery, the THUNDERBEAT Open Ended Jaw is particularly suitable for gynaecological and urological procedures. As with the THUDERBEAT model for laparoscopies, the Open Extended Jaw can also be used in the integrated Olympus ENDOALPHA operating room.
The laparoscopic THUNDERBEAT was launched onto the market in 2012. In its development, Olympus was focused on a very clear goal: the instrument needed to be as versatile as possible in order to reduce the number of instrument changes, decrease operation time, and limit blood loss, thereby enabling procedures to be performed in a more-precise and gentle manner. This also meant added safety for patients and surgeons.
THUNDERBEAT is the world’s-first instrument to combine a bipolar high-frequency current with ultrasound technology to create a synergistic form of energy which reliably cuts and seals tissue and vessel in one step, thereby enabling fast, precise and safe surgical procedures
“THUNDERBEAT is the world’s-first instrument to combine a bipolar high-frequency current with ultrasound technology to create a synergistic form of energy which reliably cuts and seals tissue and vessel in one step, thereby enabling fast, precise and safe surgical procedures,” said Drewalowski.
THUNDERBEAT is currently the fastest cutting instrument of its kind. It allows surgeons to reliably seal blood vessels up to and including 7mm in diameter with minimal thermal spread. The instrument is extremely versatile as it provides surgeons with a dissector, cutting instrument, and sealing instrument in one product.
The system consists of two generators. In addition to its ultrasound generator, it also features a complete, integrated high-frequency generator compatible with most conventional HF instruments found in operating theatres, rendering the use of different HF systems superfluous.