Robotic Camera Holder Assists Laparoscopic Surgery

The FreeHand robotic camera holder takes only moments to attach to the side of the operating table. The scope is moved by the hands-free controller, worn on a headband, or attached to a surgical cap, and an activation pedal. Gentle, natural head movements control movement, leaving the surgeon's hands free for manipulating the surgical instruments. Mounted on the stack next to the monitor, an indicator unit shows the direction selected for the scope movement. The surgeon selects the direction of tilt and pan using head movements, and then initiates the movement by using the activation foot pedal; as soon as the foot is removed from the pedal the movement stops. The scope is then held stationary until the pedal is pressed again, providing completely stable, rock steady visualization.

To zoom the scope in or out of the port, a swift tap on the activation pedal changes the FreeHand to 'zoom mode', illuminating the zoom mode status, shown by a triangle in the lower right corner of the indicator. Once again, movement is initiated when the foot pedal is pressed and movement ceases when released. The speed of the scope movement can be adjusted via the speed selector panel, with three speeds available. The FreeHand also allows manual overriding of the scope position at any time by a simple 'drag and drop' of the scope to the desired position, the scope then returns immediately to hands-free control. The FreeHand robotic camera is a product of Prosurgics (High Wycombe, United Kingdom), and it was selected by the United States Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons (SLS) as one of their 2008 innovations of the year award winners.

"FreeHand provides a completely steady picture which helps speed precise procedures, such as delicate suturing,” said Philippe Grange, M.D., a consultant urological surgeon at King's College Hospital (London, United Kingdom). "It also means that assistant surgeons can be used to their full potential. Additionally, how the surgery progresses is no longer dependant on the ability of an assistant surgeon to hold a camera steady for protracted periods.”

"Extensive international market research has indicated that many surgeons are struggling increasingly to find dependable assistants to hold the camera during laparoscopic (keyhole) procedures,” said Colin Robertson, global marketing director of Prosurgics. "And even when quality assistance is available, long procedures can be tiring, leading to camera shake, poor visualization, and even longer cases.”

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