Innovations

Performance Textiles’ BodyGardz Fabric

BodyGardz, a new, protective clothing, offers a unique combination of physical characteristics and chemical processes that make it virtually impossible to duplicate.

BodyGardz™ has been developed over a two-year period using the latest state-of-theart technology. It is designed to be fluid-resistant, antimicrobial, chemical-resistant, breathable, lightweight, durable and non-linting. It has been engineered to maintain the balance between protection, performance, and comfort.

Michael Lang, Director of Marketing for Performance Textiles, a division of All-Pak, Inc., says, “Currently, the items we are manufacturing relate to the medical and public safety fields — the kind of people who put themselves on the line every day. Our mission is to provide these people with a product they can rely on and have easy access to.”

BodyGardz is now available to the public in the form of medical scrubs, warm-ups and lab coats. The official Web site features color and size charts, product testing results and an online storefront.

Vision Sciences’ EndoSheath®

The Slide-On™ EndoSheath® System for Sensory Testing has been approved for use with flexible ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) endoscopes.

The Slide-On EndoSheath System is an alternative to a modified barium swallowing study that eliminates the need for fluoroscopy and exposure to X-rays, and can be performed as an office procedure.

According to Ron Hadani, president and CEO of Vision Sciences, “This innovative product offers otolaryngologists, gastroenterologists, pulmonologists and speech pathologists the simplest and most economical way to perform sensory testing as it eliminates the required purchase of an additional specialized endoscope. The Sensory Sheath expands the use of the large installed base of diagnostic ENT scopes as it slides directly onto all the commonly used models and provides the required air channel.”

Michael Setzen, MD, FACS, an otolaryngologist in private practice in Manhasset, N.Y. and former chair of the Board of Governors for the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, states that “The use of a single-use sheath allows for the safe and efficient passage of a flexible endoscope without requiring lengthy cleaning procedures and the use of chemical disinfectants that may cause irritation.”

EndoTalk’s EndoCompare Product Database

Knowledge Pursuit, LLC,’s Endotalk.com provides one central location for comprehensive information regarding the specialty of gastrointestinal and surgical endoscopy.

One section of this website features ENDO Compare — a detailed cross-reference for over 7,000 GI accessory products, including the name of the manufacturer, each item’s catalog and/or UPN number, product description and current price list.

This information is easily accessible from 21 categories with detailed subcategories for ease of referencing and comparing products. EndoCompare allows endoscopy team members to save time searching for GI accessory products, pricing and description.

Smith & Nephew Insufflator

Smith & Nephew’s Endoscopy Division recently launched the Smith & Nephew 400 Insufflator, which combines a unique in-line mechanism to deliver warmed and humidified carbon dioxide gas during laparoscopic surgery with a separate independent True Abdominal Pressure (TAP™) line that provides vital abdominal pressure monitoring.

The Insufflator helps regulate and maintain intra-abdominal pressure during laparoscopic surgery. The warmed carbon has been shown to reduce patient pain, recovery period and hospital stay following laparoscopy.

The TAP feature is a pressure-monitoring mechanism that enables the system to quickly and smoothly correct inadvertent changes in intra-abdominal pressure during surgical procedures. The system also includes a safety feature that prevents the pressure setting from unintentionally exceeding 15 mmHg — a high-end pressure setting traditionally used in bariatric laparoscopic surgery.

“Post-operative pain and discomfort are two contributing factors that lead to increased patient recovery time,” comments Sir Ara Darzi, MD, FRCS, FRCSI, FACS, professor of surgery and head of Surgical Oncology and Technology, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, St Mary’s Hospital, London. “The ability to deliver warmed and humidified carbon dioxide during surgical procedures without the need for an external control unit will prove to be beneficial for both patients and healthcare systems.”