Miniature Camera Helps Inspect Reprocessed Medical Devices

An innovative inspection scope mounted onto a 50-cm flexible shaft helps identify poorly cleaned reprocessed medical devices.

The Flexible Inspection Scope (FIS) empowers the reprocessing sterilization of medical devices by allowing the service providers to be able to visually inspect inside tough-to-clean medical devices, such as arthroscopic shavers and endoscopes, prior to sterilization or high level disinfection. The flexible scope includes a distal tip with the integrated light source and camera, and is designed for instruments 3.2 mm in diameter or larger. The inspection scope is based on the MicroCam system, a highly integrated platform of proprietary micro optics, electronics, and software.

The MicroCam itself, which is just three mm in diameter, has “plug 'n play” capabilities and includes software which installs on both Windows XP (for older systems) and Windows 7, allowing the viewing and recording of the inspection process on most computers. The Flexible Inspection Scope is a product of Healthmark Industries (Fraser, MI, USA), and the MicroCam system is a product of Sanovas (San Raphael, CA, USA).

“Sophisticated modern surgical instruments, such as endoscopes, have revolutionized surgery, of course. But they are very difficult to clean,” said Ralph Basile, vice president of marketing at Healthmark Industries. “The Sanovas MicroCam lets us inspect medical devices, such as endoscopes, with clarity of image that heretofore was not possible with affordable technology.”

“MicroCam is paving the way for a paradigm shift in minimally invasive surgery toward multimodal imaging methods, linearly integrated medical devices, and natural orifice surgery,” said Larry Gerrans, inventor of the MicroCam system and co-founder, president, and CEO of Sanovas. “The technology will, most certainly, evolve the interventional capabilities in the existing market and expand the growth of minimally invasive surgery to nearly 3.1 billion patients in the emerging markets.”

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Healthmark Industries
Sanovas