In the November/December 2016 issue of Surgical Products, the winners of this year’s Excellence In Surgical Products (ESP) Awards are revealed.
Day by day, we’ll also share the results here, along with an expanded version of the Surgical Products Q&A that accompanied each winner.
Category: SAFETY
Buffalo Filter PlumePen Pro Surgical Smoke Evacuation Pencil
Why do you think readers were interested in learning more about the product?
There is greater awareness regarding the dangers of surgical smoke and hospitals and staff are looking for cost effective solutions to evacuate surgical smoke from the operating room in an effort to keep both patients and staff safe.
(Image credit: Buffalo Filter)
How does this product benefit the surgical team and aid in better outcomes?
Surgical smoke creates a hazardous operating room for staff members and patients, as breathing in smoke presents serious health effects.
Ninety-five percent water vapor, surgical smoke also contains a 5 percent mixture of particulate matter, chemical material, and biological material. This material mix is villainous, threatening numerous health consequences.
A surgical smoke pencil won’t gain traction in the industry if it complicates surgeons’ tasks, no matter the potential benefits it presents. Therefore, Buffalo Filter took into account ergonomics, clinical efficacy, ease of use, and cost when designing the PlumePen Pro with removable capture ports.
“The progression of technology has to be centered not only on the clinical effectiveness of the device but also on the surgical teams’ interaction with the device,” explains Joseph Lynch, VP of Sales & Marketing. “Human factor engineering is equally important as the technical factors that drive the performance of the product.”
What technical innovations does the product encapsulate and apply to the OR?
PlumePen Pro features an easy to remove x-ray detectable capture port that allows for effortless electrode replacement to accommodate surgeries where longer electrodes are desired. Pro is smaller than competitive surgical smoke evacuation pencils and similar in size to standard electrosurgical pencils. With up to 32 percent higher flow rate than competitive pencils, Pro captures more surgical smoke.
Key features include:
• Removable smoke capture port allows for easy electrode and capture port replacement. Additional length capture ports are available (sold separately) that accommodate 4”, 5” and 6” electrodes
• Compatible with standard electrodes and designed for surgeries where longer electrodes are desired
• Full blade tip reveal provides an unobstructed view of the surgical site
• 360 degree swivel allows for fluid hand movement
• Textured profile improves surgeon’s grip
